li 


\\m\. 


®I|0  ^.  ^.  ^m  pbmrg 


f^r 


^ortI|  darolma  ^tatc  College 

5F565 
141 


'  / 


^*^ 




'A££l  V 

fir" 

9661  6 

0/^1    ft 

7001  \i  ( 

riRRi  n  J 

UODV  V  C 

-  ^-,-. 

, 

99fl 

vr 

1 

u 

i 

-A-^ 

[ 

»^ 

1 

1 


n^ ^:^^^^^*yrf^J^t.^^^ 


A    MANUAL 


OF 


Angora  Goat  Raising 


WITH  A   CHAPTER  ON 


MILCH    GOATS. 


By  GEORGE  FAYETTE  THOMPSON,  M.  S. 

Bureau  of  Animaij  Industry 


AUTHOR  OF 


Itiformatioa  Concerning  the  Angora  Goat,  '  "The  Angora  Goat, 
and  "  The  Angora  Goat  Industry  in  1901." 


Chicago,  Iijii.,  U.   S.  A  : 

American  Sheep  Breeder  Co.  Press. 

1903. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1903,  by  the 

AMERICAN  SHEEP  BREEDER  PRESS. 

In  the  Offlce  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


4  6'^ '/ 


'T^O  my  father,  Rev.  R.  S.  Thompson,  whose  solicitude 
*  for  my  welfare  in  youth  has  never  been  forgotten, 
whose  Christian  character  has  ever  been  my  guide,  and 
whose  patient  industry  has  ever  been  my  inspiration,  I 
dedicate  this  little  work  in  deep  affection. 

THE   AUTHORo 


4-r^7 


PUBLISHERS*  ANNOUNCEMENT. 


Tho  rcinavknblc  (Icvclojinicnl  of  the  Angora  and  mohair  indus- 
try in  this  country  duriiii;  tlic  last  three  years  and  tlie  widespread 
demand  for  definite  and  rcliahlc  information  concern i  11,2;  the  hreed- 
ing  and  raising  of  this  class  of  i^oats  and  the  production  of  mohair, 
emphasized  hy  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  letters  of  inquiry, 
a  large  numher  of  which  have  come  directly  to  the  office  of  the 
American  Sheep  Breeder,  have  made  apparent  the  desirability  of 
and  necessity  for  a  manual  or  hand-book  concise  and  cheap  enough 
to  be  within  the  reach  of  all,  and  yet  comprehensive  enough  to  meet 
tho  wants  of  new  beginners  as  well  as  veteran  breeders.  To  meet 
this  demand  we  are  pleased  to  present  this  volume — "Angora  Goat 
liaising  and  ^Eilch  Goats.''  The  author.  Prof.  Geo.  F.  Thompson, 
the  distinguished  editor  of  the  T'.  S.  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry, 
is  the  recognized  authority  in  this  country  upon  the  subjects  herein 
treated.  The  book  is  the  result  of  years  of  ])ainstaking  study  and 
research,  and  Ave  offer  it  to  the  American  public  in  the  belief  that  it 
will  meet  a  warm  welcome  and  subserve  the  purpose  for  which  the 
gifted  author  prepared  it.  The  industries  treated  in  these  pages 
are  j'et  in  their  infancy  and  manifestly  have  a  great  future.  The 
demand  for  Angoras  and  mohair  is  far  in  e.xcess  of  the  supply  and 
likely  to  remain  so  for  many  a  year  to  come.  We  have  many 
millions  of  acres  of  rough  mountain,  hill  and  brush  land  eminently 
suited  to  the  goat  industry,  but  unsuited  to  any  other  domestic  use, 
that  may  be  profitably  devoted  to  the  raisin^;:  of  .\ngoras  and 
mohair,  and  until  these  are  utilized,  the  mission  of  this  book  will 
not  ])e  wholly  fulfilled.  Coincident  and  coextensive  with  the 
Angora  movement  is  a  general  awakening  of  interest  in  milch 
goats,  especially  in  the  towns  and  cities  an<l  among  the  leading 
physicians,  hospitals  and  sanitariums.  Our  author  gives  an  admi- 
rable summary  of  up-to-date  information  upon  this  subject,  which 
we  arc  sure  will  be  received  with  marked  approval. 


Page 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   I. 
Origin  and  History  of  the  Angora  Cloat H 

CHAPTER   11. 
Description  of  the  Angora  Goat 30 

CHAPTER    III. 
Importers  and  Importations 36 

CHAPTER   IV. 
Number  of  Angora  Goats  and  Production  of  Mohair. . 49 

CHAPTER    V. 
Browsing  and  Pasturage •  •  • 63 

CHAPTER   VI. 
Mohair  and  Moliair  Manufactures • TO 

CHAPTER   VII. 

The  Meat,  the  Markets,  and  the  Milk 96 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
Localities  Adapted  to  Angora  Goat  Raising 104 

CHAPTER    IX. 
The  Care  of  Angora  (roats 117 

CHAPTER    X. 
Flock  Management 135 

CHAPTER    XI. 
Shearing,  vShears,  and  Shedding 14.3 

CHAPTER   XII. 
Diseases  and  Other  Enemies 153 

CHAPTER    XIII. 
The  Skins  and  Their  Uses 164 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
Minor  Features  of  Importance 167 

CHAPTER    XV. 
Milch  (Joats l"^*! 


PREFACE, 


A  wonderful  interest  has  Ijeen  manifested  in  the  Angora  goat 
industry  during  the  last  three  years.  Breeders  and  editors  of  live- 
stock papers  have  been  overwhelmed  with  correspondence  concern- 
ing these  beautiful  and  useful  animals.  The  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,  burdened  beyond  anyone  else  probably  with  this  corre- 
spondence, assigned  to  me  the  duty  of  preparing  a  bulletin  on  the 
subject.  It  was  the  purpose  of  that  bulletin  to  answer  all  the 
inquiries  that  were  made,  and  it  met  with  a  hearty  reception  every- 
where. 

That  bulletin  is  now  out  of  print.  The  demand,  however,  for  a 
manual  on  goat  raising  is  still  very  strong.  Every  day  scores  of 
farmers  decide  to  investigate  the  industry  with  a  view  to  engaging 
in  it,  and  their  first  desire  is  for  such  information  as  may  be  found 
in  this  work.  The  information  given  herein  is  drawn  from  various 
sources — a  thorough  review  of  all  literature  on  the  subject,  much 
correspondence  with  Angora  goat  men,  personal  acquaintance  with 
nearlv  all  of  the  leading  Angora  breeders  in  the  United  States,  and 
some  practical  e-\pericncc. 

The  author  desires  to  acknowledge  here  his  obligations  to 
persons  and  documents  that  liavc  been  helpful  in  the  prei^aration 
of  this  volnnic.  lie  is  specially  indebted  to  ^Irs.  Sallie  Russell 
Eeevcs,  Dr.  AY.  E.  Gritlith,  and  Charles  M.  Daugherty,  and  to 
many  others,  mentioned  elsewhere,  who  have  furnished  photo- 
graphs. A  list  of  the  Ijooks  which  have  proved  very  helpful, 
especially  in  the  preparation  of  the  chapter  on  ''milch  goats,"  is 
appended  below.  The  Author. 


Die  Ziegen   und    Kaninchenzucht.     Von   Dr.   William   Lobe.     Pp.   80. 

Berlin,  1875. 
Die  Ziegenzucht  in  Deutchland.     Ihre  Mangel  und  Mittel  zu  ihrer  Hu- 

bung.    Von  Peter  Petersen.     Pp.  78.     Berlin,  1899. 
Leitfaden  fiir  die  Berbreitung,   Pflege  und  rationelle  Zucht   der  Ziege 

mit  Veriicksichtigung  ihrer  land  und  volkswirtschattlichen  Bedeu- 

tung.    2d  part.    Von.  Fr.  Dettweiler.    Pp.  72.    Darmstadt,  1896. 


PREFACE.  Yll 

Die  Hausziege,  das  Milchtier  des  kleinen  Mannes,  ihre  Naturgeschichte, 
Geschichte,  Rassen,  Schlage,  Nutzverwertung,  Haltung,  Pflege, 
Futterung  and  Zucht.  Von  Docent  Dr.  Ernst  S.  Ziirn.  Pp.  72. 
Leipzig,  1901. 

Die  Zeigenzuclit.  Kranl^heiten  der  Ziegen,  deren  Heilung  und  verhii- 
tung.     Von  A.  v.  Renesse.     Pp.  37.     Miinster  i.  W.,  1901. 

Die  Ernahrung  und  Haltung  der  Ziege  als  Milchtier  des  Kleinen 
Mannes.    2d  edition.    Von  Dr.  G.  Kloepfer.    Pp.  62.    Essen,  1896. 

Rind,  Schaf,  Ziege  und  Schwein.     Von  J.  G.  Obst.     Pp.  41.     Leipzig. 

Milch  Goats  and  Their  Management.    By  Bryan  Hook.  Pp.  115.  London. 

La  Chevre.  Races.  Elevage,  Malaaies,  Produits  de  la  Chevrerie.  Par 
Huart  du  Plessis.     Paris. 


INTRODUCTION. 


So  far  as  history  enlightens  us,  llic  goat  has  alwa3's  been  one 
of  the  best-known  domestic  animals.  How  long  he  has  been  in 
disfavor  simply  because  he  was  "nothing  but  a  goat"  and  been 
the  subject  of  every  funny  man's  joke,  we  are  unable  to  say.  The 
oldest  accounts  show  him  to  have  been  a  most  useful  animal  in  the 
furnishings  of  hair  for  curtains,  skins  for  clothing  and  tents  and 
meat  for  the  tribes,  yet  down  to  this  day  he  has  been  maligned 
beyond  reason,  and  that,  too,  by  those  who  have  worn  his  skin  as 
gloves  and  shoes  and  capes,  his  hair  as  the  finest  of  furs  and  ex- 
pensive dress  goods,  and  eaten  his  flesh  as  delicious  lamb. 

There  has  recently  been  an  awakening  in  the  United  States, 
especially  among  those  who  are  ever  ready  to  welcome  and  to  dig- 
nify any  industry  that  is  honorable  and  bids  fair  to  pay  dividends. 
And  so  it  is  that  the  Angora  goats,  the  finest  breed  of  the  goat  fam- 
ily, is  now  receiving  the  credit  that  has  long  been  their  due.  His 
usefulness  is  manifested  in  various  ways,  as  is  shown  in  the  several 
chapters  of  this  volume.  The  fleece,  technically  called  "mohair," 
furnishes  some  of  the  finest  fabrics  known  among  ladies'  dress 
goods,  as  well  as  plushes,  robes,  rugs,  etc. ;  their  habit  of  browsing 
admits  of  their  being  put  to  an  economic  use  as  brush  destroyers, 
thus  enabling  the  farmer  to  subjugate  his  brushwood  with  little 
or  no  aid  from  the  ax;  their  flesh  is  exceedingly  delicate  and 
nutritious  and  it  finds  a  ready  market;  the  milk,  though  not  so 
abundant  as  with  the  established  milch  breeds  of  goats,  is  richer 
than  cow's  milk,  and  approaches  very  closely  human  milk  in  qual- 
ity; their  tanned  skins  are  not  suitable  for  shoe  leather,  owing  to 
their  peculiar  texture,  but  good  work  gloves  and  morocco  for  book 
binding  are  largely  made  from  them ;  their  pelts,  Avhen  properly 
dressed,  make  rugs  and  robes  of  striking  beauty  and  great  utility; 
owing  to  their  freedom  from  goat  odor,  so  well  known  of  common 
goats,  and  especially  of  their  great  attractiveness  and  docility,  they 
make  the  very  finest  pets  for  children ;  a  few  of  them  among  a 
flock  of  sheep  are  in  a  measure  a  protection  to  the  sheep  against 
the  invasion  of  dogs;  their  manure  is  noticeably  helpful  to  the 
grass  Avhich  springs  up  under  them  as  they  clear  away  the  under- 
brush. 

These  are  all  sul)j('cls  of  viirvin<;  degrees  of  importance,  and 
will  bi'  discussed  (|uit('  fullv  in  Ibis  little  volume. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Pages 

Geo.  F.  Thompson  (portrait) Frontispiece 

Angoras  in  Asia  Minor 16 

Angoras  on  Sage  Brush  in  Asia  Minor 16 

Pacl<  Train  on  Slcaria  River 17 

Davis  Importation 21,  23 

Kemble  Brothers'  "Aztec" 33 

Jno.  S.  Harris  (portrait) 41 

Dr.  W.  C.  Bailey  (portrait) 45 

F.  O.  Landrum 47 

Wm.  J.  Cohill  (the  boy  breeder) 51 

N.  A.  Gwin 53 

C.  P.  Bailey  &  Sons 57 

California  Angoras 61 

Goats  on  Brushwood 65 

D.  C.  Taylor  &  Son 67 

R.  C.  Johnson 71 

Geo.  H.  Baldwin 73 

Mrs.  M.  Armer 75 

Geo.  B.  Goodall  (portrait) 85 

American  Mohair 89 

Turkish  Mohair 93 

E.  D.  Ludlow  &  Co 107 

W.  S.  Prickett Ill 

Place  &  Hoover 115 

Jas.  A.  Moberloy 119,  123,  129 

The  Hughes  Separating  Bridge 127 

Philo  Ogden 137 

Age  Shown  by  the  Teeth 139 

Allen  Shearing  Machine 145 

Ludlow  Combination  Shearing  Table 146,  147,  148 

Flexible  Shaft  Shearing  Machine 149 

Cooper  Shearing  Machine 151 

African  Goats 166,  175 

Mrs.  Edward  Roby  (portrait) 178 

Mrs.  Edward  Roby's  Milch  Goats 181 

Common  Milch  Goat  of  Queensland,  Australia 183 

Hornless  Buck  and  Starkenburger  Buck 187 

Schwarzenburg-Guggisbergor  Doe  and  Hinterwalder  Doe 191 

Goat  of  Malaga,  Spain,  and  Goat  of  Granada,  Spain 195 

Maltese  Goat  and  Nubian  Goat 199 

Maltese  Goat 203 

Saanen  Buck  and  Saanen  Doe 207 

Swiss  Goat 215 

Spanish  Maltese  Buck 219 

Spanish  Maltese  Doe  and  Hornless  Spanish  Maltese  Doe 221 


A    MANUAL 

OF 

ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 


CHAPTER  L 

ORIGIN  AND  HISTORY  OF  THE  ANGORA  GOAT. 
Historical  Scope  of  this  Volume. 

Whoever  would  undertake  at  this  time  to  add  anything  con- 
cerning the  origin  and  history  of  the  Angora  goat  to  that  which 
lias  been  published  by  S.  C.  Cronwright  Schreiner/  or  in- 
deed attempt  to  improve  upon  his  facts,  will  be  confronted  with  a 
task  well  nigh  impossible.  The  purpose  of  the  writer  hereof  is 
to  present  to  the  Angora  goat  raisers  a  manual  for  every-day  use, 
rather  than  a  discussion  of  a  history  that  is  at  best  quite  nebulous 
and  therefore  he  will  content  himself  with  such  a  brief  historical 
survey  as  will  logically  lead  to  a  proper  consideration  of  the  goat 
itself  and  its  adaptability  to  the  varying  conditions  of  the  climate 
and  Ihe  soil  of  our  country.  Breeders  generally  are  busy  men  and 
they  will  probably  extend  a  more  generous  welcome  to  this  volume 
if  it  condenses  history  and  hastens  on  to  measures  of  more  im- 
portance. No  thought  is  in  mind  of  belittling  the  value  of  history 
to  the  student  of  any  art  or  science,  but  an  author  should  not  add 
cost  and  inconvenience  to  a  manual  by  giving  a  history  m  much 
detail  of  the  subject  treated. 

Origin  of  tlie  Angora  Goat. 

There  are  about  ten  species  of  wild  goats,  according  to  natural- 
ists, and  all  of  them,  except  possibly  the  Rocky  ]\Iountain  goat, 

>The   Angora   Goat.    Pp.   296,  New  York.    1808. 

PROPERTY  OF 

B  K  IB'  9*M  I  Knc  I  iPDAttv 


12  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

are  confined  to  Europe  and   the   Himalayas  of  Asia.     Those  arc 
divided  into  two  groups,  as  follows: 

I.  The  ibexes. — These  according  to  Hayes,  have,  as  a  distinc- 
tive characteristic,  horns  ''flat  in  front,  with  a  horizontal  triangular 
section,  furnished  with  large  transversal  knots." 

II.  Goats  proper. — These,  according  to  Hayes,  have  horns 
compressed  and  carinated  in  front,  and,  according  to  Wood,  "may 
be  distinguished  from  the  ibex  and  the  sheep  by  the  peculiar  for- 
mation of  the  horns,  which  are  compressed  and  rounded  behind 
and  furnished  with  a  well-developed  keel  in  front." 

There  are  two  subspecies  of  this  second  group — Capra  falconeri 
and  Capra  (cgagrus.  The  latter  is  known  as  the  Paseng,  the  Bezoar 
goat,  or  wild  goat,  or  Persia,  and  is  now  generally  accepted  by  nat- 
uralists as  the  goat  from  which  the  Angora  is  descended  through 
Capra  hircus,  which  is  claimed  to  be  the  ancestor  of  all  common 
breeds  of  goats. 

As  to  the  parent  of  the  Angora  stock,  there  is  a  difference  of 
opinion  between  the  two  best-known  writers  on  this  subject — John 
L.  Hayes,  author  of  The  Angora  Goat,  etc.  (1882),  and  S.  C. 
Cronwright  Schreiner,  author  of  The  Angora  Goat  (1898).  The 
one  takes  the  position  that  it  is  descended  from  Capra  falconeri, 
the  other  from  Capra  (cgagrus.  Owing  to  the  additional  informa- 
tion which  has  been  obtained  since  the  appearance  of  Hayes's  book 
and  which  is  embodied  in  Schreiner's  work,  there  can  hardly  re- 
main a  doubt  of  the  correctness  of  the  contention  that  the  Angora 
goat  descended  from  Capra  ccgagrus. 

Schreiner,  who  has  made  extensive  research,  has  described  these 
two  subspecies  as  follows:  "Capra  falconeri  has  a  beard  which 
extends  from  the  chin  to  the  shoulders  and  chest,  and  long  spirally 
twisted  horns,  the  twist  lieing  outward  from  the  base.  The  males, 
when  old,  become  whitish  all  over.  The  ewes  have  a  beard  con- 
fined to  the  chin,  and  small  horns  with  a  slight  spiral  twist.  It  is 
a  native  of  the  Western  Himalayas,  northern  Afghanistan,  and 
possibly  of  Persia ;  it  is  also  found  generally  in  Cashmere  and 
on  the  Tibetan  side  of  the  Himalayas.  Fossil  remains  show  that 
it  is  one  of  the  oldest  types  of  goats. 

"Capra  ccgagrus^  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  enormous 
horns,  which  are  larger  proportionately  than  in  any  other  ruminant 

^There  is  evidence  that  in  classic  times  this  soat  was  widely  distrib- 
uted over  the  Grecian  Archipelago,  although  in  Europe  it  is  now  found  only 
in  Crete,  the  island  of  Antemelo,  in  the  Cyclades,  and  perhaps  also  in 
Guire  to  the  northeast  nf  Euhea.  Eastward  it  is  found  in  the  hills  and 
mountains  of  Asia  Minor,  being  esiioc-ially  common  in  tbo  Tauru.s  range,  and 
it  extends  thence  through  Persia  into  Baluchistan,  Sind,  and  Afghanistan. 
In  India  its  range  does  not  extend  l)eyond  the  western  side  of  Sind.  It  i.s 
found  in  Sind  and  Baluchistan  in  hills  a  little  above  the  sea  level:  in  the 
mountains  of  Persia  it  ascends  to  an  elevation  of  11,000  feet  to  12,000  feet.— 
Schreiner. 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  13 

animal;  they  approximate  the  triangular  in  form,  transversely 
rigid,  and  are  bent  backward  as  in  the  domestic  varieties,  being 
scimitar-like  in  shape  and  curve,  and  having  no  spiral  twist. 
Large  horns  of  Capra  cegagrus  measure  40  inches  along  the  curve, 
but  a  length  of  upward  of  52^^  inches,  with  a  basal  girth  of  7 
inches,  has  been  recorded.  It  stands  somewhat  higher  than  any  of 
the  domesticated  varieties  of  the  goat  (an  adult  male  stood  37 
inches  at  the  withers),  from  which  it  further  differs  in  its  short 
and  powerful  neck,  its  stouter  limbs,  and  slender  body.  In  the 
female  the  horns  are  exceedingly  diminutive  or  are  altogether 
wanting.  The  fur,  which  over  the  greater  part  of  the  body  is 
short,  is  of  a  grayish  brown  color,  with  a  black  line  running  along 
the  entire  length  of  the  back,  while  the  under  surface  of  the  neck 
and  the  beard,  which  is  present  in  both  sexes,  are  of  a  brown  color. 
In  the  winter  coat  the  hair  on  the  neck  and  shoulders  is  rather 
longer  than  elsewhere,  and  in  the  same  season,  in  the  colder  part  of 
the  animal's  habitat,  a  coat  of  woolly  fur  is  developed  beneath  the 
hair." 

Native  Habitat  of  tlie  Augora  Goat« 

At  this  time  we  can  trace  the  history  of  the  Angora  goat  back 
to  the  vilayet  of  Angora,  in  Asia  Minor,  and  this  location  is  usu- 
ally given  as  the  place  of  its  origin.  Some  have  ventured  to  say 
that  these  goats  were  introduced  there  2,400  years  ago,  but  there 
is  no  reliable  information  extant  bearing  upon  this  point. 

There  is  pretty  strong  evidence  which  goes  to  show  that  they 
were  a  distinctive  breed  when  Moses  was  leading  the  Israelites  out 
of  Egypt.  Goats'  hair  was  spun  by  the  Israelites  for  curtains  and 
other  purposes  for  use  in  the  temple.^  In  the  story  recorded 
in  I  Samuel  (chapter  19)  of  the  artifice  of  Michal  in  deceiving 
the  messengers  of  Saul  by  placing  an  image  in  the  bed  in  place 
of  David  and  giving  it  a  pillow  of  goats'  hair,  is  believed  by  Pen- 
nant to  refer  to  a  pillow  made  of  the  Angora  fleece. 

The  city  of  Angora,  or  Engurieh,  the  capital  city  of  the  vilayet 
of  Angora,  is  the  ancient  Ancyra,  and  is  located  about  220  miles 
south  by  southeast  from  Constantinople.     Angora  was  the  seat  of 


'Take  ye  from  among  you  an  offering  unto  the  Lord;  whosoever  Is  of  a 
wilUng  heart,  let  him  bring  it,  an  offering  of  the  Lord;  gold,  and  silver, 
and  brass,  and  blue,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and  fine  linen,  and  goat's  hair.— 
Exodus  XXXV,   5,  6. 

And  every  man,  with  whom  was  found  blue,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and 
fine  linen,  and  goat's  hair,  and  red  skins  of  rams,  and  badgers'  skins, 
brought  them.— Exodus   xxxv,   23. 

And  all  the  women  whose  heart  stirred  them  up  in  wisdom  spun  goats' 
hair.— Exodus  xxxv.  2fi. 

And  he  made  curtains  of  goats'  hair  for  the  tent  over  the  tabernacle; 
eleven  curtains  he  made  them.  The  length  of  one  curtain  was  thirty  cubits 
and  four  cubits  was  the  breadth  of  one  curtain;  the  eleven  curtains  were 
of  one  size.— Exodus  xxxvi,  14,  15. 


14  ANUORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

one  of  the  earliest  Christian  ehurelios,  and  was  probahly  estab- 
lished by  the  Apostle  Paul.  The  province  is  mountainous  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  and  furrowed  by  deep  valleys.  It  is  al)Out  2,J)00 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Of  the  climalo  Mr.  11.  A.  Cuni- 
berbatch,  British  consul  at  An.uora  (189.")).  and  quoted  by 
Schrciner,  says:  "The  cliiiiatc  is  extreme.  In  the  montlis  of 
January  and  February  the  thermometer  will  maik  a  minimum  of 
10°  F.  for  several  days  at  a  time,  reach  as  far  as  0°  F..  whilst  in 
June  and  ,7uly  tlie  maximum  readings  of  85°  F.  are  maintained 
day  after  day,  with  little  or  no  I'ain.  The  country  is  covered  with 
snow  in  the  winter,  rain  and  snow  falling  frequently.  In  1894 
the  total  rainfall  at  Angora  was  8.12  inches,  but  that  was  an 
exceptionally  dry  season.  For  the  first  six  months  of  1895  the 
rainfall  was  10.10  inches,  wliich  is  somewhat  above  the  average; 
the  heaviest  rainfall  in  twenty-foui-  hours  baviji.u;  been  1.20  inches." 

The  following  description  is  by  a  native  Turk,  who  was  once 
connected  with  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry:  "Asia  j\Iinor, 
in  general  aspect,  is  an  exteiisive  peninsula,  projecting  like  a 
bridge  from  the  main  mass  of  the  Eastern  continent  towards 
Europe.  Elevated  plains  occupy  a  great  part  of  the  interior, 
intersected  and  bounded  by  ranges  of  mountains,  leaving  only 
narrow  lowlands  between  them  and  the  shores.  Xo  part  of  the 
whole  peninsula  is  less  than  2,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
and  the  average  height  of  the  most  fertile  tablelands  is  from 
3,000  to  4,000  feet." 

With  reference  to  the  vilayet,  or  province,  of  Angora,  the  same 
writer  says:  "The  peculiar  domain  of  the  Angora  goat,  even  the 
very  center  of  it — 39°  20'  and  40°  30'  north  latitude  and  between 
33°  20'  and  35°  longitude  east  of  Paris — is  more  or  less  moun- 
tainous and  furrowed  by  deep  valleys.  Elevated  masses  are 
generally  shaded  by  fine  forests,  while  the  plateaus,  which  form 
a  large  part  of  the  country,  are  but  sparsely  wooded.  On  account 
of  this  nudity  the  early  spring  heat  dries  up  what  humidity  is  left 
in  the  earth.  The  climate,  as  should  be  expected  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, has  extremes — winters  very  cold  and  summers  exces- 
sively hot— the  thermometer  frequently  descending  to  5°  to  10° 
F.  below  zero  and  rising  as  high  as  90°  F." 

One  more  quotation  will  be  of  interest  as  showing  something 
of  the  diversity  of  climate  and  soil  of  Angora  and  their  influence 
upon  the  quality  of  the  mohair.  No  such  distinction  due  to  climate 
and  soil  can  yet  be  made  concerning  localities  in  the  United 
States,  but  this  may  be  owing  to  the  fact  that  since  mohair  has 
been  receiving  particular  attention  it  has  not  been  grown  a  suf- 
ficient number  of  years  in  any  one  section  to  give  it  a  distinctive 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING.  15 

character ;  tho  animals  have  recently  had  rapid  change  of  oAvner- 
ship,  and  some  have  spent  much  time  on  the  railroad.  The 
following  information  is  from  Gavin  Gatheral,  many  years  British 
vice  consul  at  Angora,  and  a  man  who  seized  every  opportunity 
to  inform  himself  concerning  the  Angora  goat  in  his  native 
habitat. 

"The  most  northerly  point  at  which  the  mohair  goat  thrives  is 
Kastamboul — a  large  and  fertile  province,  but  too  near  the  moist 
winds  of  the  Black  Sea  for  the  mohair  goat  to  reach  its  highest 
development.  The  fleece,  though  lustrous,  is  harsh  and  coarse. 
It  is  somewhat  unfortunate  that  the  first  selections  for  export  to 
the  Cape  Colony  for  naturalization  there,  were  made  from  this 
district.  Had  other  varieties  to  bo  noted  further  on  been  preferred, 
the  result  of  the  Cape  Experiment  might  have  been  more  saris- 
factory. 

"Two  hundred  miles  inland,  and  to  the  southward,  lies  Angora. 
This  province  produces  five  different  varieties  from  as  many  dis- 
tricts. Yaban-Ova  is  a  heavy  lustrous  fleece;  Chorba,  a  mohair 
so  soft  and  fine  that  it  falls  to  pieces  as  soon  as  it  is  shorn  from 
the  goat's  back;  Chubouk-Ova  is  remarkable  for  its  length  and 
fineness  of  fiber ;  Ayash  is  a  white  but  lusterless  fleece.  The  rams 
of  these  first-named  districts  are  undoubtedly  thoroughbred,  though 
smaller  in  size  than  those  of  some  other  varieties.  They  possess 
all  the  points  that  a  practical  stock  breeder  will  commend. 

"Sheltered  by  oak  forests  during  the  short  but  severe  winters, 
and  grazed  on  the  valley  grass  during  spring  and  summer,  they 
seem  to  find  in  the  alteration  everything  needful  for  strength 
'and  vigor,  as  is  proved  by  their  being  so  prolific,  the  ewes  having 
frequently  pairs  and  often  triplets.  Joevas  is  bright  and  showy, 
but  full  of  what  is  technically  known  as  stick,  or  kempy,  hair. 

"Bei  Bazar  is  so  near  Angora  that  the  mohair  it  produces  has 
no  marked  points  of  difference.  The  rams  are  larger  in  size,  very 
hardy,  and  stand  a  sea  voyage  well.  A  few  have  been  recently 
(1880)  exported  to  the  Cape  Colony,  the  result  being  highly  satis- 
factory. To  the  northward  are  Cherkass  and  Geredeh,  two  dis- 
tricts where  the  mohair  goats  have  been  introduced  in  compara- 
tively recent  times.  There  they  develop  distinct  characteristics, 
owing  to  the  difference  of  climate  and  elevation.  The  Geredeh  ram 
is  a  large  and  powerful  animal,  covered  with  a  fleece  that  seems 
almost  black,  surcharged  with  grease,  but  when  scoured  the  mohair 
is  found  to  be  second  to  none  in  quality  and  quantity. 

"The  difficulty  of  access  to  this  mountain  region  has  hitherto 
prevented  securing  any  of  the  goats  for  export.  To  the  eastward 
are  Sivrihisar  and  Eskishihan.     Both  suffered  severelv  from  the 


16 


ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 


two  years  of  excessive  drought  in  IST-i-T."),  and  the  consequent 
famine.  Many  of  the  goats  perished;  but  the  grazers  rephiced 
them  with  stock  from  other  districts,  the  result  being  a  marked 

iiiiiJi-ovi'iiicnt   in  (lualitv  and  value. 


ANGORAS  NEAR  SKARIA  RIVER,  ASIA   MINOR. 


£*".S«*ifcSfek5i^?©l^-'*4rt:, 


'ivr*-. 


Ji; 


^^■Mm^ 


ANGORAS   FEEDING   ON   SAGE   BRUSH    IN    ASIA    MINOR 


"On  the  south  lies  Konieh,  the  soil  there  being  of  the  color 
and  character  of  brickdust.  The  fleece  of  the  Konieh  goat  is  a 
reddish  brown  and,  though  this  reduces  the  value  of  the  mohair,  it 
is  sought  after  for  special  manufactures.     Climate,  soil,  or  food 


AXGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  17 

cannot  affect  the  products  of  high-grade  mohair,  provided  two  very 
essential  points  are  carefully  observed,  namely,  purity  of  blood  and 
avoidance  of  humidity." 

It  was  in  this  country  that  this  famous  goat  reached  its  per- 
fection— and  such  a  perfection  as  has  not  yet  been  reached  by  the 
goats  of  either  Cape  Colony  or  the  United  States;  indeed,  the 
Turks  themselves,  by  their  shortsighted  policy  of  extensive  cross- 
breeding, have  failed  to  maintain  the  high  standard  once  held  by 
their  animals.  That  the  altitude,  the  soil,  or  the  climate,  or  all 
of  them  together  possibly,  had  much  influence  in  producing  this 
fleece-bearing  goat  is  supported  by  strong  evidence,  although  there 
are  some  writers  of  note  wdio  claim  that  the  character  of  the  soil 


PACK   TRAIN  ON  SKARIA    K[\i:i;.   A^-IA   MINOR. 


exerts  no  distinctive  influence.  Dr.  John  Bachman,  a  well-known 
naturalist  of  this  country  and  the  Encyclopaedia  Britannica  both 
state  that  the  fineness  of  the  hair  of  the  Angora  goat  may  perhaps 
be  ascribed  to  some  peculiarity  in  the  atmosphere,  "for  it  is  re- 
markable that  the  cats,  dogs,  sheep,  and  other  animals  of  the 
country  are  to  a  certain  extent  affected  in  the  same  way  as  the 
goats."  The  same  opinion  was  expressed  by  Captain  Conolly, 
quoted  by  Southey  (1848)  :  ''It  is  remarkable  that  wherever  these 
goats  exist  the  cats  and  greyhounds  have  long,  silky  hair  also — 
the  cats  all  over  their  bodies,  the  greyhounds  chiefly  on  their  ears 
and  tails."  These  statements  lead  Schreiner  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  atmosphere  i'^  the  chief  factor.  He  says:  "At  any  rate,  there 
seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  a  limited  and  comparatively  well-defined 
region  around  the  town  of  Angora  possesses  in  a  degree  unap- 
proached  elsewhere  in  Asia  Minor,  and  probably  in  the  world, 


18  ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

those  conditions  favorable  to  the  development  of  the  soft,  silky, 
lustrous  white  mohair  goat."  Too  much  credit  must  not  be  given 
to  the  atmosphere  of  Angora  in  the  production  of  mohair.  That 
it  has  a  marked  influence  on  animals  anywhere  is  generally  ac- 
cepted. The  experience  of  the  Angora  goat  breeders  of  the  Cape 
Colony  and  the  United  States  shows  that,  with  the  best  animals,  a 
fleece  equal  to  any  produced  by  Turkey  may  be  obtained.  Indeed, 
it  should  be  gratifying  to  the  mohair  growers  to  know  that,  while 
their  mohair  product  of  three  years  ago  was  very  poor  and  that 
from,  twenty-five  to  fifty  years  ago  it  was  sold  with  difficulty  on 
account  of  its  quality,  the  product  now  put  upon  the  market  is 
excellent  and  that  of  1903  was  superior,  as  a  whole,  to  any  that  had 
been  grown  previously.  George  G.  Emery,  who  is  the  leading 
mohair  expert  in  the  United  States,  made  the  statement  at  the 
third  annual  (1902)  meeting  of  the  American  Angora  Goat  Breed- 
ers' Association  that  he  had  seen  some  domestic  fleeces  that  were 
in  every  way  equal  to  the  best  Turkish.  He  also  exhibited  two 
pieces  of  plush — one  from  domestic  hair  and  one  from  Turkish — 
which  were  so  nearly  alike  that  no  one  could  distinguish  between 
them  without  reference  to  a  private  mark.  Our  breeders  are 
striving  strenuously  and  intelligently  toward  a  better  quality  of 
mohair,  and,  in  order  to  bring  about  this  matter,  they  are  eliminat- 
ing so  far  as  possil)le  the  common  goat  blood.  Turkey,  indeed, 
greatly  injured  her  fleeces  by  crossbreeding,  but  until  quite  recently 
our  own  practice  of  the  same  error  led  us  to  further  extremes  than 
Turkey  went.  Again,  the  breeders  of  our  country  have  learned 
that  the  feed  of  the  animal  has  a  pronounced  influence  upon  the 
quality  of  the  mohair  in  the  same  way  that  it  has  an  influence  upon 
the  meat.  The  matter  of  better  mohair  is  discussed  quite  fully 
in  the  chapter  on  "Mohair  and  mohair  manufactures." 

Crossing  I'pon  tlie  Kurd  Ooat  iu  Aurora. 

^Ir.  Henry  0.  Binns,  who  had  about  twenty  years  of  experience 
with  these  goats  in  the  vilayet  of  Angora,  says  the  pure  animals 
were  about  bred  out  in  1863.  The  reason  for  this  was  the  exten- 
sive crossing  with  the  common  Kurd  goat,  reference  to  which  has 
already  been  made.  As  early  as  1839  there  ceased  to  be  a  demand 
for  the  spun  yarn  of  Asia  Minor,  owing  to  the  fact  that  Europe 
could  spin  yarn  at  much  less  cost;  but  there  was  a  Eurojiean  de- 
mand for  the  raw  hair  which  exceeded  the  supply.  This  condition 
of  things  led  to  complications  and  a  mixture  of  breeds  from  which 
the  mohair  world  has  not  yet  recovered.  There  can  hardly  remain 
a  doubt,  however,  that,  with  the  recent  renewed  interest  in  the 
industry,  and  with  the  intelligence  that  the  breeders  will  bring  to 


ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING.  19 

bear,  the  Angora  goat  iudustrv  will  soon  be  placed  on  the  highest 
plane. 

Tlie  Angora  Ooat  In  the  I'nlted  States. 

To  write  a  history  of  the  Angora  goat  in  the  United  States 
is  not  a  prodigious  task,  but  it  is  a  delicate  one.  The  average 
newspaper  correspondent  of  fifty  years  ago  was  no  more  careful 
of  exact  facts  than  he  is  now,  and  it  is  unfortunate  that  the  his- 
torian of  the  Angora  goat  industry  is  largely  dependent  upon  that 
kind  of  literature  for  his  raw  material.  However,  their  introduc- 
tion into  this  country  was  not  so  long  ago  that  we  are.  wholly 
dependent  upon  newspaper  articles  by  unknown  men,  but  there  are 
those  still  living  wlio  have  known  the  industry  from  the  first  day 
of  its  inception.  Upon  these  men  and  upon  the  articles  published 
by  them  and  by  Col.  Eichard  Peters,  the  present  writer  depends 
for  his  information. 

During  the  Administration  of  President  Polk,  the  Sultan  of 
Turkey  requested  of  him  that  he  recommend  some  one  who  would 
experiment  in  the  culture  of  cotton  in  Turkey.  Accordingly  Dr. 
James  B.  Davis,  of  Columbia,  S.  C,  was  recommended,  and  he 
received  the  appointment.  The  work  done  by  Doctor  Davis  ap- 
peared to  be  highly  gratifying  to  the  Sultan,  and  so,  upon  his 
return,  in  1849,  the  Sultan,  desiring  to  reciprocate  the  courtesy 
of  the  President,  presented  him  with  nine  of  the  choicest  goats  in 
his  domain. 

These  goats  were  imported  as  Cashmeres  and  were  so  regarded 
until  after  they  passed  to  the  ownership  of  Colonel  Peters.  Doctor 
Davis  thought  they  were  the  goats  which  produced  the  fleece  from 
which  the  famous  and  very  costly  Paisley  shawls  were  made;  and 
it  is  true  that  one  of  the  number  was  a  Tibet  goat,  which,  in  other 
words,  means  Cashmere,  and  was  the  breed  producing  the  Paisley 
shawl  fleece.  As  late  as  1861  they  were  regarded  as  Cashmeres, 
for  the  records  show  that  in  that  year  William  M.  Landrum,  who 
has  been  breeding  Angoras  longer  than  any  other  living  man  in 
this  country,  was  awarded  a  silver  goblet  and  $25  in  cash  for  the 
introduction  of  the  first  Cashmeres  (Angoras)  into  California. 

To  the  casual  observer,  the  Cashmere  and  Angora  were  very 
much  alike — indeed,  may  have  appeared  to  be  the  same  animal — 
but  the  essential  points  of  the  animals  are  so  different  that  it  is  a 
matter  of  wonderment  how  they  could  be  regarded  as  being  one 
species  under  two  names.  These  differences  will  appear  in  the 
chapter  devoted  to  a  description  of  the  Angora  goat.  At  the  present 
time  it  is  everywhere  acknowledged  that  the  goats  imported  by 
Doctor  Davis  an<l  known  as  Cashmeres  were  Angoras,  and  that  the 


20  AXUORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

Tibol  goat  wliicli  ho  iniportod  was  a  true  Caslimcrc.  That  Doctor 
Daviij  really  thought  his  goats  were  Cashmeres,  no  one  will  douht 
for  a  moment,  and  at  that  time  nearly  everybody  else  who  pre- 
tended to  know  anything  about  goats  agreed  with  him.  It  was  sub- 
sequent scientific  investigation  that  finally  adjusted  the  error.  The 
situation  as  it  existed  when  these  goats  were  introduced,  if  con- 
sidered in  connection  with  the  situation  as  it  exists  to-day,  does  not 
justify  a  very  few  writers  who  hold  to  the  idea  that  the  goats 
originally  imported  were  Cashmeres,  and  that  subsequent  methods 
of  breeding  here  have  transformed  them  into  Angoras. 

The  first  (or  Davis)  importation  of  Angoras  was  frequently 
exhibited  at  fairs,  and  always  attracted  much  attention.  The 
reports  made  by  the  officials  of  fair  associations  were  always  favor- 
able, sometimes  flattering,  and  as  is  known  after  years  of  experi- 
ence, not  always  correct.  The  United  States  Agricultural  Society 
which  held  an  exhibition  in  Philadelphia,  in  1856,  awarded  to  Col. 
Kichard  Peters,  who  was  then  the  owner  of  the  Davis  goats,  $100 
as  a  special  reward.  The  following  report  was  made  upon  the  ani- 
mals: "They  have  become  known  as  Cashmere  goats  from  the  pure 
white  color  and  fineness  of  their  fleeces,  and  their  undoubted 
Eastern  origin.  The  fleeces  from  the  bucks  weigh  6  to  7  pounds, 
those  from  the  ewes  from  3  to  -i  pounds.  The  flesh  of  the  crosses 
is  superior  to  most  mutton,  tender  and  delicious,  making  them  a 
desirable  acquisition  to  our  food-producing  animals. 

"The  ease  with  which  they  are  kept,  living  as  they  do  on  weeds, 
briers,  browse,  and  other  coarse  herbage,  flts  them  for  many  por- 
tions of  our  country,  where  sheep  can  not  be  sustained  to  advant- 
age, while  their  ability  and  disposition  to  defend  themselves  against 
dogs  evidence  a  value  peculiar  to  this  race.  They  arc  free  from 
all  diseases  to  which  sheep  are  liable,  hardy  and'  prolific,  and 
experience  has  proven  that  they  readily  adapt  themselves  to  all 
portions  of  the.  United  States.  The  bucks  breed  readily  with  the 
common  goats,  the  second  cross  yielding  a  fleece  of  practical  utility, 
whilst  the  fourth  is  but  little  inferior  to  that  of  the  pure  breed. 

"A  flock  of  valuable  wool-bearing  goats  can  be  raised  in  a  few 
years  by  using  grade  bucks." 

The  following  extract  is  from  a  report  of  the  special  commit- 
tee appointed  by  the  American  Institute  at  t  ,i  exhibition  in  New 
York  City  in  1855.  The  report  was  signed  by  B.  J.  Johnson, 
Charles  J.  Goodrich,  and  James  J.  Mapes:  "They  have  examined 
Avith  much  interest  the  fleece  submitted  to  them,  and  as  well  from 
their  own  observations  as  from  the  results  of  a  microscopic  exam- 
ination made  and  certified  to  by  several  gentlemen  of  scientific 
eminence  well  known  to  them,  they  are  convinced  that  the  fiber  of 


22  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

tliese  fleeces  is  identical  in  character,  and  fully  equal  in  value,  to 
that  from  which  the  highly  prized  Cashmere  shawls  were  made. 
The  fleeces  on  exhibition,  and  now  iindor  examination,  amount  to 
from  -i  to  8  pounds  each. 

"The  enterprise  exhibited  by  the  introduttion  of  these  animals 
into  this  country  and  their  propagation  can  not  be  too  highly 
regarded. 

"First.  These  animals  are  long  lived,  such  Ijeing  the  case 
with  the  whole  goat  race. 

"Second.  They  are  prolific,  breeding  at  the  age  of  one  year, 
with  a  period  of  gestation  of  about  five  months,  and  yielding  twins 
almost  universally  after  the  first  birth. 

"Third.  They  are  hardy,  experience  having  shown  that  they 
will  thrive  well  in  our  climate  from  Georgia  to  Xew  England,  and 
that  they  require  coarse  and  cheap  food — as  the  inferior  grasses, 
briers,  bushes,  etc. — such  as  is  refused  by  other  grazing  animals. 

"Fourth.  They  produce  a  fleece  of  from  4  to  8  pounds,  valued 
at  from  $6  to  $8  per  pound  in  France,  or  Paisley,  Scotland,  for 
the  manufacture  of  those  high-priced  shawls.  These  fleeces  can 
be  produced  when  the  animals  become  numerous  at  a  less  cost  than 
Ihe  common  sheep's  wool  and  are  superior  to  it. 

"Another  fact  of  great  practical  value  to  our  agricultural  in- 
terests is  the  facility  with  which  the  Cashmere  goats  breed  with 
the  common  goats  of  our  country. 

"From  these  and  other  considerations,  of  the  correctness  of 
which  your  committee  have  entire  confidence,  it  will  be  obvious 
that  every  encouragement  should  be  shown  this  new  enterprise — 
a  bold  and  judicious  movement." 

A  committee  composed  of  James  Rcnwick,  Joseph  E.  Chilton, 
and  W.  H.  Ellet  submitted  the  following  report  to  the  New  York 
State  fair,  held  in  New  York  City  in  185-1::  "The  undersigned 
can  not  avoid  the  conclusion  that  in  the  goats  imported,  and  whose 
descendants  have  been  the  subjects  of  this  examination,  we  have 
the  first  known  specimens  of  that  valuable  race  of  animals  from 
whose  hairy  fleece  the  celebrated  shawls  are  manufactured,  known 
in  commerce  by  the  inappropriate  name  of  'red  camel's  hair.'  As 
the  fleece  does  not  appear  to  have  deteriorated  in  the  compara- 
tively warm  climate  of  South  Carolina,  the  distinctive  character 
of  the  race  is  hard  to  be  obliterated,  while  in  the  northern  region 
of  the  United  States  this  character  can  not  well  fail  to  be  perma- 
nent. Viewed  in  this  light,  the  introduction  of  this  animal  prom- 
ises to  l)e  of  more  value  to  the  agriculture  of  the  United  States 
than  that  of  almost  any  other  animal." 

]Manv  other  similar  reports  were  made  by  committees  of  fair 


24  ANGORA   UOAT  RAISING. 

associations  ahoiit  tliis  time,  and  ihov  show  how  favoraljl}*  the  new 
industry  was  regarded.  However,  the  conclusion  can  not  be  avoided 
that  the  highly  exaggerated  statements  appearing  in  these  reports 
added  to  the  enthusiasm  of  the  time.  It  is  possible  that  a  few 
fleeces  sold  at  $8  per  pound,  but  in  a  search  for  authority  it  is 
learned  that  one  man  quoted  another  and  one  newspaper  quoted 
another,  and  so  on,  but  the  purchaser  was  never  located.  At  one 
time  this  matter  was  in  warm  discussion  in  the  agricultural  press, 
and  correspondents  demanded  to  know  who  sold  the  fleece  and  who 
bought  it,  but  their  inquiries  appear  not  to  have  been  answered. 
The  most  definite  statement  possibly  that  can  be  made  regarding 
this  matter  is  by  Mrs.  Harriet  E.  Davis  White,  a  daughter  of 
Doctor  Davis.  She  says :  "The  fleece  of  the  Davis  Cashmere 
goat  was  very  fine,  and  some  of  it  was  sold  to  parties  in  Paisley 
for  manufacturing  their  famous  shawls;  and  a  Germantown  com- 
pany also  bought  some,  of  the  fleece  and  it  brought  $6  to  $8  per 
pound.  So  the  records  state  truly,  though  some  have  tried  to  dis- 
pute this  fact.  Owing  to  the  lack  of  proper  machinery,  I  presume, 
the  fleece  did  not  find  a  ready  sale  for  several  years.  I  saw  some 
of  the  first  fleece  ever  dyed  and  sent  to  Paisley." 

It  will  be  observed  that  Mrs.  White  refers  in  this  quotation 
to  the  "Davis  Cashmere  goat,"  which  has  already  been  mentioned 
as  among  the  original  importation.  No  one  can  doubt  the  accuracy 
of  her  statement,  because  the  marketable  fiber  of  the  Cashmere 
goat — the  pashm — is  exceedingly  fine,  only  three  or  four  ounces 
l)eing  the  yield  per  goat,  and  the  shawls  made  of  it  frequently  sold 
for  $1,500  each;  and  it  is  easy  to  believe  that  this  hair,  which  was 
worth  $2  per  pound  in  the  most  inaccessible  portions  of  Thibet, 
and  having  a  number  of  additional  charges  put  upon  it  as  it  gravi- 
tated toward  the  manufacturing  mills,  would  bring  the  amounts 
mentioned  by  ]\Irs.  White.  As  there  was  at  the  time  much  con- 
fusion as  to  the  exact  breed  of  the  goats,  there  was  the  same  con- 
fusion regarding  the  fleece  and  the  prices.  There  were  then  no 
mills  in  the  country  to  fabricate  the  fleece,  and  not  enough  was 
produced  for  export  to  establish  a  standard. 

With  reference  to  +he  fleece  of  the  xVngora  goat,  the  following 
is  taken  from  the  Country  Gentleman  of  January  9,  1868:  "The 
conductors  of  that  excellent  Journal,  the  Boston  Advertiser,  ad- 
dressed Mr.  Geo.  W.  Bond,  the  leading  dealer  in  such  material  at 
Boston,  for  information,  and  in  re])ly  Mr.  Bond  expresses  the 
opinion  that  if  the  Cashmere,  or  Angora,  hair  'could  l)c  ol)tained 
here  in  sufficient  quantities  to  warrant  the  starting  of  machinery 
suitable  to  its  manufacture  and  could  ])e  offered  at  about  $1  per 
pound,  a  steady  and  permanent  demand  for  it  would  be  created.' 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING.  25 

He  saj'S,  liowevcr,  that  it  is  consumed  1)}'  less  lliaii  a  dozen  houses 
in  Europe,  and  that,  in  fact,  one  firm  consumes  about  one-third 
of  the  whole  supply,  and  has  agents  in  Turkey  purchasing  the 
same.  Nearly  the  whole  supply  conies  from  Asia  Mino.r,  whence 
the  exports  for  the  past  three  years  have  averaged  about  4,000,000 
pounds  per  annum.  An  inferior  quality  comes  from  South  Africa. 
As  to  its  value  here,  lie  adds:  'Of  the  specimens  raised  in  this, 
country  which  I  have  seeUj  some  .fleeces  have  been  very  handsome, 
but  there  has  been  a  great  want  of  uniformity  in  ithe  various  lots 
— some  fleeces  being  very  poor  and  kempy,  prol)al)ly  l)eing  crosses 
on  the  common  goat,  while  others  were  as  handsome  as  any  that  I 
have  ever  seen  from  any  quarter.  The  value  in  England  has,  I  be- 
lieve, at  no  time  exceeded  4s.,  or  $1,  per  pound,  unless  it  may  have 
been  for  some  exceptional  parcels  of  great  beauty  and  desirecl 
for  some  fancy  manufacture  in  small  quantities.  The  highest 
quotations  in  England  to-day  are  2s.  Td.,  or  62  cents,  for  the 
choicest  quality  down  to  2s.,  or  48  cents,  for  good.  *  *  *  1 
doubt  whether  there  ever  was  a  time  when  1,000  pounds  of  it  could 
have  been  sold  here  for  $1  in  gold  per  pound;  but  a  short  time 
since,  when  fringes  and  tassels  made  of  if  became  so  fashionable,  it 
is  possible  that  a  few  of  the  choicest  and  most  beautiful  fleecet* 
might  have  been,  sold  at  $4  and  $6  per  pound.'  " 

A  tabular  statement  of  prices  of  mohair  in  England  may  Ijc 
found  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  prices. 

Doctor  Davis  remained  in  the  goat  business  Init  a  few  years. 
and  his  flock  was  disposed  of  to  various  persons.  The  world  will 
probably  never  know  just  who  all  the  parties  were  that  secured 
them.  An  error  has  heretofore  been  made  in  writings  of  several 
persons — the  present;  author  among  the  number — in  stating  that 
the  Davis  flock  of  "purebreds"  was  purchased  by  Colonel  Peters . 
But  information  recently  coming  to  light  corrects  this  error  to 
some  extent.  A.  0.  Osborn,  of  Waterville,  N.  Y.,  published  an 
article  in  the  Country  Gentleman  of  January  21,  1864,  from 
which  the  following  is  extracted:  "In  the  fall  of  1854,  Dr.  D.  C. 
Ambler,  Col.  William  Osborn,  and  myself  purchased  of  James  B. 
Davis,  Esq.,  of  Columbia,  S.  C..,  three  'Cashmere  goats' — one 
yearling  buck,  one  yearling  ewe,  full  blood,  and  one  yearling  half- 
breed — with  the  view  of  breeding  for  profit." 

Colonel  Peters  pui)lished  an  article  in  the  American  Agricul- 
turist for  November,  1876,  in  which  he  said:  "In  the  year  1854 
I  visited  the  farm  of  Doctor  Davis,  near  Columbia,  S.  C.,  and 
found  his  stock  of  purebreds  to  consist  of  seven  females  and  two 
males.  Besides  these  he  had  one  purebred  Tibet  ewe,  several  head 
of  one-half  Tibet  and  one-half  Angora,  and  quite  a  number  of 


26  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

grado  fomalop  brod  from  tlio  common  shorl-liaired  ewes  of  the 
country  and  his  Angora  buck.  1  purchased  all  of  the  pureln-ed 
Angoras  and  several  of  the  Tibet-Angoras."  What  Colonel  Peters 
has  said  can  hardly  be  doubted,  although  the  following  statement 
to  the  author  by  Mrs.  Harriet  E.  Davis  White  apparently  dis])utes 
its  accuracy:  "Doctor  Davis  had  bred  the  Cashmeres  with  the 
common  goats  and  had  a  fine  flock  of  graded  goats  when  Colonel 
Peters  visited  him  to  purchase  goats  from  him.  They  discussed 
the  value  of  the  fleece  and  Colonel  Summer  said  it  would  prove 
equal  to  the  'golden  fleece'  in  a  commercial  way,  in  time.  AH  of 
the  purebred  goats  were  not  sold  to  Colonel  Peters.  Doctor  Davis 
retained  an  interest  which  he  did  not  dispose  of  to  Colonel  Peters 
until  Doctor  Davis's  health  began  to  fail ;  and  Col.  A.  G.  Summer 
also  held  an  interest  in  them.  Goats  had  been  sold  to  other  men 
before  this  sale  to  Colonel  Peters.  The  original  contract  between 
Richard  Peters,  A.  G.  Summer,  and  Jas.  B.  Davis  is  still  in  the 
possession  of  his  daughter"   (Mrs.  White). 

The  contradictions  which  stand  out  in  the  three  quotations 
above  are  probably  apparent  only.  It  is  easy  to  believe  that  the 
goats  referred  to  by  Mr.  Osborn  were  purchased  before  Colonel 
Peters  purchased  any  and  are  probably  the  ones  referred  to  by 
Mrs.  White  as  having  been  sold  before  the  purchase  by  Colonel 
Peters. 

We  have  a  statement  of  record  that  one  was  purchased  by  Col- 
onel Davenport,  who  lived  near  Harpers  Ferry,  and  another  by  Col. 
Wade  Hampton,  of  South  Carolina.  A.  0.  Osborn,  in  the  same 
article  from  which  he  is  quoted  above,  refers  to  his  venture  into  the 
industry  in  this  way:  "In  October  I  left  home  for  Australia. 
Doctor  Ambler,  in  the  meantime  and  before  winter,  found  a  place 
for  the  ewes  with  a  few  owned  by  Colonel  Davenport,  near  Har- 
pers Ferry,  Va.,  and  thither  they  were  sent.  They  remained  with 
Colonel  Davenport's  flock  until  1859,  when  they  and  their  increase 
were  exchanged  with  Richard  Peters,  Esq.,  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  who 
had  purchased  most  of  Doctor  Davis's  flock,  for  Brahmin  cattle." 

One  fact  stands  out  prominently  in  the  early  history  of  the 
Angora  goat  industry  in  this  country,  namely,  that  previous  to 
the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion  practically  all  of  the  Angora  goats 
had  passed  to  the  ownership  of  Col.  Richard  Peters,  of  Atlanta,  Ga. 
He  took  great  interest  in  the  little  animal  and  its  possil)ilities  and 
is  generally  looked  upon  as  the  real  founder  of  the  industry  in 
the  United  States.  When  we  reflect  that  there  was  no  real  Angora 
goat  industry  in  this  country  until  within  the  last  three  years, 
we  must  reckon  wnth  others  as  well  as  Colonel  Peters.  Credit  must 
first  be  given  to  Doctor  Davis  for  his  public  spiritedness ;  and 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  21 

whether  his  goats  came  from  Persia,  as  he  l)clievcd,  or  from  Angora, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  were  the  equal  of  any  that  ever 
came  to  this  country,  with  many  evidences  of  superiority.  Full 
credit  is  due  to  Colonel  Peters,  who  gathered  together  the  rem- 
nants of  the  Davis  flock  and  distributed  their  progeny  over  a  large 
area  of  our  country,  and  preserved  a  nucleus  of  the  flock  when 
the  industry  appeared  to  result  elsewhere  in  failure.  The  outbreak 
of  the  Kebellion  played  havoc  with  the  industry,  with  the  final 
result  that  the  flocks  in  the  Eastern  and  Southern  sections  of  our 
country  were  annihilated,  with  the  exception  of  a  very  few  in 
isolated  localities.  Some  goats,  however,  had  previously  been 
sent  into  California,  and  from  that  State  had  spread  back  into 
Texas,  New  Mexico,  and  Arizona,  and  north  into  Oregon.  The 
Western  men  who  adopted  the  industry  and  flnally  saved  it  to 
the  country  were  William  M.  Landrum,  C.  P.  Bailey,  and  John 
S.  Harris.  It  is  no  less  gratifying  to  these  men  than  it  is  to  the 
thousands  of  goat  breeders  now  in  the  United  States,  who  delight 
in  honoring  them,  that  they  still  live  to  see  the  work  of  their 
earlier  years  now  being  crowned  with  abundant  success. 

Thus  we  have  had  three  stages  in  the  establishment  of  the  An- 
gora goat  industry.  Each  of  them  has  been  all-important  in  its 
day,  and  all  credit  can  not,  therefore,  be  given  to  any  one  man. 

Previous  to  the  outbreak  of  the  Eebellion,  there  were  many 
fair-sized  flocks  in  the  South  and  Southwest.  There  were  smaller 
flocks  in  many  of  the  Northern  and  Western  States.  Dr.  Diehl, 
in  1863,  mentions  flocks  containing  from  300  to  1,200  and  more 
in  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  Gallatin  and  Nashville,  Tenn. ;  Eussellville, 
Frankfort,  Paris,  and  Georgetown,  Ky. ;  Greenville,  Lebanon, 
Montgomery,  and  Bucyrus,  Ohio;  Green  County,  Ind. ;  Chicago, 
Decatur,  and  Evanston,  111. ;  St.  Louis,  Maramee,  and  Fayette, 
Mo. ;  Baltimore,  Md. ;  Leavenworth,  Kans. ;  Brownsville,  Pittsburg, 
Washington,  and  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  New  York  City,  N.  Y.;  Bos- 
ton and  Belmont,  Mass. ;  Austin,  Tex. ;  and  in  the  States  of  Iowa, 
Michigan,  Minnesota,  California,  and  in  other  localities.  Soon 
after  the  close  of  the  war  they  spread  out  into  the  West,  principally 
into  Texas  and  California,  where  the  natural  conditions  were  most 
favorable  and  wliere  they  have,  quite  unknown  to  the  public,  in- 
creased wonderfully  in  numbers  and,  in  the  light  of  recent  events, 
in  importance  also. 

In  the  spring  of  18GI:  Colonel  Peters  sold  two  16-months-old 
bucks  to  William  M.  Landrum,  of  San  Joaquin  County,  Cal.  They 
were  sent  from  Atlanta  to  St.  Louis  by  express ;  thence  by  steamer 
to  Fort  Leavenworth,  and  thence  on  foot  to  California  with  a 
wagon  train.    They  subsisted  on  the  journey  by  browsing  on  what 


28  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING 

Other  animals  rejected,  and  arrived  at  their  destination  uninjured 
and  in  good  condition.  Mr.  Landrum  exhibited  them  at  the  State 
fair  tlic  same  year,  being  awarded  a  silver  goblet  and  $25  in  cash. 
One  of  the  goats,  after  siring  al)0ut  thirty  kids,  died  of  snake  bite; 
the  other  one,  famous  on  the  Pacific  coast  under  the  name  of 
"Billy  Atlanta,"  lived  to  be  ten  years  old,  and  then  was  accident- 
ally killed.  He  had  sired  about  two  thousand  kids.  This  buck  won 
the  sweepstakes  prize  over  all  competitors  at  every  State  fair  down 
to  his  death;  and  Colonel  Peters  stated  in  1876  that  his  numerous 
descendants  were  scattered  all  along  the  Pacific  coast,  and  that 
"his  blood  courses  in  the  veins  of  over  one-half  the  Angora  flocks 
in  that  part  of  the  Union,  estimated  to' approximate  70,000." 
Colonel  Peters  further  stated  "that  about' 'one-third  of  the  pure- 
breds  introduced  into  California  were  contributed  from  the  first 
and  original  (Davis)  imi)ortations  of  1849,  and  that  their  blood 
is  present  in  proI)ably  two-thirds  or  three-fourths  of  the  Angora 
stock  on  the  Pacific  coast."' 

Mr.  Landrum  was  in  California  from  1850  to  1883,  after  which 
time  he  went  to  Texas.     He  is  now  at  Laguna,  Tex. 

There  have  been  from  time  to  time  various  other  importations 
of  Angoras  from  Turkey  and  South  Africa,  which  will  be  discussed 
in  a  chapter  to  follow.  These  were  widely  disseminated  and  the 
blood  of  most  of  them  has  been  exceedingly  beneficial  to  the  in- 
dustry in  this  country. 

During  the  last  two  or  three  years  a  wonderful  interest  has 
been  manifested  in  the  Angora  goat.  The  one  great  factor  which 
brought  this  about  was  the  information  which  was  published  and 
widely  disseminated  by  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry.  The 
large  flocks  of  the  West  and  Southwest  have  been  divided  up  and 
distributed  throughout  the  country.  They  may  now  be  found  in 
every  St.ate  and  Territory,  including  Alaska,  and  a  few  head  are  in 
Porto  Rico.  A  considerable  number  are  in  Canada,  where  they 
are  thriving  well.  Five  years  ago  very  few  people,  comparatively, 
had  ever  seen  a  goat  of  this  l)rced,  Imt  now  the  Angora  is  a  familiar 
sight  in  hundreds  of  localities. 

There  are  three  principal  reasons  for  the  present  interest  in 
the  industry,  Avhich  are  as  follows:  (1)  They  are  very  effective 
brushwood  destroyers;  (2)  they  are  mohair  producers;  (3)  they 
yield  a  carcass  that  is  palatable  and  highly  nutritious.  There  is 
a  cha])ter  devoted  in  this  work  to  each  of  these  phases  of  the 
industry,  and  therefore  further  discussion  v/ill  not  be  entered 
upon  here. 

A  history  of  the  goats  themselves  is  not  a  eoin])k'tc  history  of 
the  industrv.     One  of  the  reasons  whv  the  industry  did  not  become 


ANGORA   GOAT  RAISING.  29 

a  brilliant  success  from  the  first  was  l)ccause  there  was  in  this  coun- 
try no  mills  for  fabricating  the  fleece  which  was  produced,  and  the 
fleeces  that  were  produced  were  not  good  enough  for  exporting. 
Goat  raisers  began  to  reap  profits  when  mills  were  established  here, 
and  therefore  the  mohair  manufacturer  and  the  Angora  goat  raiser 
have  conjointly  established  a  great  industry  which  is  destined  to 
fill  a  large  place  in  the  live  stock  industry  of  the  United  States, 


CHAPTER  IL 

DESCRIPTIOX  OF  THE  ANGORA  GOAT. 
Purebreds  Ruined  by  Crossing  witli  Kurd  Goat. 

Before  proceeding  with  a  description  of  the  Angora  goat,  it  is 
well  to  advert  to  a  bit  of  history  in  connection  with  the  mohair 
industry  of  Asia  Minor.  In  18G7,  when  Israel  S.  Diehl,  bearing  a 
commission  from  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Agriculture, 
visited  the  province  of  Angora,  he  found  but  a  few  hundred  looms 
working  up  mohair  fleeces  where  once  there  were  from  1,700. to 
1,800  in  operation.  These  few  were  struggling  hopelessly  against 
the  fatal  competition  of  European  machinery  and  the  aggressive 
})olicy  of  the  European  governments.  The  fleeces  were  exported 
to  Europe  for  fabrication,  thus  rendering  Turkey  tributary  to 
the  monopoly  then  existing  in  this  industry  in  Europe.  The 
European  demand  for  the  raw  material  was  so  great  and  the 
facilities  for  fabricating  it  so  much  better  and  cheaper,  that  Turkey 
was  compelled  by  the  laws  of  trade  to  export  the  raw  mohair.  This 
is  an  instance  where  the  prosperity  of  an  industry  almost  proved 
to  be  its  ruin,  as  we  shall  see.  In  order  to  meet  this  great  European 
demand  for  raw  material,  the  Turkish  mohair  growers,  without 
wise  foresight,  began  the  practice  of  crossing  the  Angora  upon 
the  Kurd  goat  of  that  country.  The  inevitable  result  of  such  a 
practice  was  the  adulteration  of  the  blood  of  every  Angora  in  Asia 
]\Iinor  so  far  as  anyone  knows  or  can  judge  by  investigation  at  this 
time. 

Description  ol  a  Purebred  Angora  Goat. 

This  ruinous  practice  has  left  the  world  without  a  purebred 
Angora  goat  apparently.  There  does  not  even  appear  to  be  a  record 
anywhere  of  a  description  of  a  purebred  animal,  except  the  very 
brief  one  of  Henry  0.  Binns,  who  spent  twenty  years  in  the  mohair 
districts  of  Asia  Minor  between  1864  and  1886,  and  copied  here- 
with: "The  pure  Angora  in  his  prime  is  about  the  size  of  a  five- 
months-old  Cape  (Cape  of  Good  Hope)  kid,  with  small  thin  horns, 
wooled  all  over  the  body,  the  hair  almost  covering  the  eyes; 
exceedingly  delicate,  and  so  subject  to  disease  that  no  one  cared  to 
keep  him.     What  is  to-day  called  the  purebred  Angora  is  like  the 


ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING.  31 

English  thoroughbred  horse — the  result  of  crossing  and  recrossing 
until  body,  class,  points,  etc.,  have  attained  to  what  is  generally 
considered  that  the  thoroughbred  Angora  ought  to  be." 

Schreiner's  opinion  of  what  a  purebred  Angora  was,  is  as 
follows:  "I  think  it  is  certain  that  the  original  purebred  white 
mohair  goat  was  a  small,  very  refined,  delicate  animal,  of  great 
beauty,  clipping  at  twelve-months'  growth  of  fleece,  about  from  3 
to  4  pounds  (according  to  age  and  sex — kids  considerably  less),  of 
dazzling  white,  fine,  soft,  silky,  very  lustrous  mohair,  curling  in 
ringlets  from  10  to  18  inches  long,  with  merely  the  minimum  of 
oil  in  its  fleece  requisite  to  the  growth  of  hair  of  the  highest  ex- 
cellence, so  small  in  amount  as  to  be  inappreciable  to  the  unskilled 
observer.  It  was  perfectly  clothed  in  every  part ;  it  had  short,  silky, 
curly  hair  about  the  face  and  down  the  lower  parts  of  the  legs  to 
the  hoofs;  a  soft,  silky,  curly  ^kuif  (tuft  on  the  forehead),  and 
small,  thin,  light-colored  horns.  The  ewe  was  of  course  smaller 
and  finer  than  the  ram,  and  had  only  one  kid  at  a  birth  (of  this 
there  is  abundant  evidence)." 

Dr.  John  Bachman,  a  well-known  naturalist,  gives  this  brief 
description:  "The  Angora  goat,  more  especially  the  varieties  it 
has  produced,  is  described  by  Hasselquist  (1722-1752),  Buffon 
(1707-1788),  Pennant  (1726-1798),  and  others  as  in  general  of  a 
beautiful  milk-white  color,  with  short  legs,  and  black,  spreading 
spirally  twisted  horns.  The  hair  on  the  whole  body  is  disposed 
in  long  pendant  spiral  ringlets;  its  ears  are  pendulous,  and  the 
horns  of  the  female,  instead  of  divaricating  as  in  the  male,  turn 
backward,   and   are  much   shorter  in  proportion." 

Description  of  tlie  Modern  Angora  Goat. 

The  facts  stated  in  the  above  paragraph  make  it  apparent  that 
a  description  of  the  Angora  goat  of  to-day  would  not  necessarily 
apply  to  the  purebred  Angora  of  fifty  or  seventy-five  years  ago. 
As  no  effort  has  been  made  by  an  association  or  body  of  goat 
breeders  to  adopt  a  description  of  our  ideal  Angora  goat,  any  de- 
scription that  may  be  made  is  largely  a  matter  of  the  individual 
opinion  of  the  one  who  makes  it.  However,  there  is  singular 
unanimity  among  goat  breeders  as  to  what  the  best  Angora 
should  be. 

The  Angora  goat  is  smaller  than  the  ordinary  common  goat. 
It  weighs  from  60  to  100  pounds,  although  some  are  frequently 
found  that  weigh  considerably  more,  especially  if  fat.  The  back 
should  be  straight,  with  shoulders  and  hips  of  equal  height.  A 
sloping  rump  is  very  objectionable.  The  chest  should  be  broad, 
indicating  good  coastitution,  and  the  body  round,  legs  short  and 


32  ANUORA   tiOAT   RAISING. 

Strong.  The  licad  should  not  droop,  but  be  dean  cut,  with  bright 
eye  and  broad  .muzzle ;  avoid  a  pinched  nostril.  The  horns  are 
grayish — never  black ;  in  the  buck  they  are  heavy,  with  an  inward 
twist,  inclining  backward  and  to  the  outside.  The  doe's  horns 
rise  immediately  upward  and  backward,  slightly  outward,  with 
very  little  inclination  to  twist.  In  most  animals  the  ears  are 
pendant  and  from  G  to  8  inches  long,  with  an  average  width  of 
about  2  inches,  and  well  pointed.  In  some  animals  the  cars  are 
fox-like — short,  pointed,  and  pricked.  There  appears  to  be  no 
other  differences  between  the  goats  having  the  different  kinds 
of  ears. 

The  fleece  of  the  animal  should  be  pure  white,  although  there 
are  colored  Angoras.  Xo  colored  spots  on  the  skin  should  be  tol- 
erated. The  fleece  should  cover  the  entire  body — as  dense  on  the 
l)e]ly  and  neck  as  on  the  back  and  sides;  should  extend  to  the 
ears  and  jaw.  While  some  are  breeding  for  the  topknot  and  for 
mohair  on  the  face  and  lower  legs,  this  is  not  an  evidence  that  the 
animal  is  better  than  another  that  may  not  have  the  head  and  face 
covered.  The  mohair  should  grow  to  the  length  of  about  10  inches 
during  a  year,  and  hang  in  tight  ringlets  or  wavy  curls.  The 
curl  should  extend  entirely  up  to  the  skin.  "Slipey"  mohair,  or 
that  which  has  lost  its  curl  and  is  dry,  fluffy,  and  with  but  little 
luster,  is  an  indication  of  a  poor  goat  or  one  in  poor  health.  Poor 
feed  tends  to  bring  al)Out  sueli  a  condition  in  the  fleece. 

Are  there  Nonslieddiiig  (>oats  ! 

Yes;  there  are  Angoras  which  do  not  shed — a  very  few;  there 
arc  more  which  shed  at  regular  intervals  of  2  or  3  years.  There 
is  no  evidence,  however,  that  these  animals  are  a  distinct  strain  of 
the  breed ;  the  fact  that  they  do  not  shed  is  probably  due  to  local 
conditions,  such  as  their  health  or  their  care. 

Hornless  Angoras. 

There  are  a  few  hornless  Angoras,  but  not  many.  They  seem, 
like  the  nonshedders  above,  to  be  accidents  rather  than  a  distinctive 
type,  or  strain.  Colonel  Black  says  he  has  no  doubt  that  the  horn- 
less goats  are  a  "distinct  breed."  It  is  probably  true  that  by  proper 
'selection  in  breeding  a  hornless  type  might  be  produced.  Efforts 
in  this  direction  are  already  being  made  with  a  flock  in  which 
Colonel  Black  is  interested.  Hornless  Angoras,  however,  are  not 
rare  in  Asia  Minor. 

Absence  of  III  Odor. 

A  characteristic  of  ^he  common  goat  that  is  very  objectionable 
is  the  ever-present  ofl"ensivo  odor  from  the  bucks.     In  the  Angora 


14< 
o   <v 


§  S 

O    C! 

■J.   a 

-^  o 

OS 


i-  a 


X  6 


34  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

breed,  tliiri  odor  is  entirely  wantin^^  except  with  the  bucks  at  tlie 
rutting -season,  and  then  in  a  slight  degree  only.  The  odor  of 
the  mohair  is  milder  than  that  of  a  wool  fleece,  and  it  is  not  at 
all  offensive. 

Description  of  tbe  Casbmcrc  Goat. 

Although  it  has  already  been  shown  that  the  Angora  is  not 
the  same  breed  as  the  Cashmere  goat,  it  is  well,  since  they  were  so 
long  considered  the  same  breed  in  this  country,  to  describe  the 
Cashmere. 

The  differences  between  these  two  breeds  are  so  pronounced, 
especially  in  the  matter  of  the  fleece,  that  it  is  a  matter  of  wonder 
that  anyone  ever  considered  them  to  be  the  same  animal.  The 
Angora  has  a  long  outward  silky  covering,  with  a  second  coat  of 
shorter  hair  of  different  quality,  and  very  sparse  in  quantity  as 
compared  with  the  longer  covering,  which  is  the  mohair.  The  mo- 
hair, or  outer  covering,  is  the  desirable  part  of  the  fleece,  while  the 
other  part,  technically  known  as  kemp,  is  the  undesirable  and 
injurious  part.  The  fleece  weighs  about  3  pounds,  and  is  removed 
by  means  of  shears  in  the  same  manner  "that  sheep  are  sheared. 
The  Cashmere  also  has  two  coats — the  outer  and  longer  and 
coarser,  being  of  no  economic  use  and  therefore  not  sheared;  the 
other  is  a  very  fine  down-like  substance  called  "pashm."  The 
product  of  pashm  per  goat  is  from  3  to  4  ounces  annually,  and  it 
is  removed  by  combing.  In  the  Yale  of  Cashmere  and  in  Tibet, 
where  many  of  these  goats  run  wild,  the  natives  gather  the  pashm 
from  the  twigs  of  bushes  and  points  of  rocks  where  the  goats  have 
rubbed  it  loose  at  shedding  time. 

The  Angora  sheds  its  entire  fleece  annually,  while  the  Cash- 
mere sheds  its  undercoat  only.  The  value  of  the  mohair  ranges 
from  25  cents  to  40  cents  per  pound.  For  pashm  there  appears  to 
be  no  stable  market,  but  it  usually  brings  at  the  manufacturer's 
from  $4  to  $7  a  pound.  A  writer  in  the  Penny  Magazine  (London) 
in  1838  says:  "The  wool  is  first  combed  from  the  animal  in  the 
mountains  of  Tibet,  where  it  is  sold  for  nearly  5  shillings  a  pound. 
It  is  packed  in  baskets  and  sent  to  Cashmere  where  it  pays  a  duty 
on  entry.  It  is  there  bleached  with  rice  flour,  spun  into  threads, 
and  taken  to  the  bazaar,  where  another  tax  is  paid  upon  it.  The 
thread  is  then  dyed,  the  shawl  is  woven,  and  the  border  sewed  on." 
This  is  the  material  from  which  the  famous  Paisley  shawls  were 
made.  Mohair  was  never  used  for  this  pur])ost'  except  as  an 
adulterant. 

Mr.  Diehl's  description  of  the  Cashmere  follows:  "This  variety 
of  the  wool-bearing  or  shawl  goat,  as  it  is  often  called,  is  spread 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING.  35 

over  Tibet,  Northern  India,  and  tlie  regions  to  tlie  east  of  the  Cas- 
pian Sea.  It  is  somewhat  smaller  than  the  common  and  Angora 
goat.  It  has  straight,  round,  pointed  horns,  pendant  ears,  is 
covered  with  straight  and  falling  long,  fine,  fiat,  silky  hair,  with  au 
undercoat  in  winter  of  a  delicate  greenish  wool,  of  but  2  to  3 
ounces  each,  which  latter  alone  constitutes  the  fabric  from  which 
the  celebrated  shawls  are  made.  Ten  goats  furnish  only  enough 
for  a  shawl  l^/^  yards  square;  but  this  is  often  found  differing  both 
in  color  and  the  quality  of  the  wool,  or  rather  the  fine  hair,  of 
which  the  fleece  is  composed.  The  principal  points  in  the  most 
approved  breeds  are  large  ears,  the  limbs  slender  and  cleanly 
formed,  the  horns  not  spirally  twisted,  and,  above  all,  the  fleece 
being  long,  straight,  fleecy,  and  white." 


CHAPTER  m. 

niPOUTEi;S    AM)    l.MPORTATION'S. 
Tlie  Davis  Importation. 

Mention  lias  already  been  made  of  tlie  fact  that  the  first  im- 
portation of  Angora  goats  into  the  United  States  was  made  by 
Dr.  James  B.  Davis,  of  Columbia,  S.  C.  These  came  to  this  country 
under  the  name  of  Cashmeres  and  they  bore  that  name  for  several 
years  afterward.  The  exact  number  of  this  importation  is  a 
matter  of  doubt,  since  Mrs.  White,  a  daughter  of  Doctor  Davis, 
states  that  there  were  ten  of  them.  Col.  Richard  Peters  says  there 
were  nine;  Col.  Wm.  L.  Black,  author  of  "A  New  Industry"  (An- 
gora goat),  says  there  were  nine,  but  two  were  kids.  Schreincr, 
in  "The  Angora  Goat,"  says  nine.  Whether  nine  or  ten,  it  makes 
little  difference  at  this  time  except  so  far  as  it  is  desirable  to 
make  historical  records  accurate.  Among  the  number  which  left 
Asia  ]\Iinor  was  a  Tibet  buck  and  doe  (true  Cashmeres),  but  the 
buck  died  during  the  voyage.  The  doe  was  crossed  with  Angora 
bucks,  but  the  progeny,  according  to  the  observation  and  experience 
of  Colonel  Peters,  were  unable  to  Avithstand  the  climate  and  all 
soon  died. 

All  attempts  to  get  goats  out  of  the  interior  of  Asia  Minor 
have  met  with  great  difficulty.  While  Doctor  Davis  did  not  him- 
self make  the  journey  in  search  of  those  he  brought  home  with 
him,  his  agent  appears  to  have  met  with  many  obstacles.  The 
Country  Gentleman  for  1856  contains  an  article  by  one  Richard 
Allen,  of  Tennessee,  from  which  the  following  is  taken :  "While 
there  he  [Doctor  Davis]  determined  to  procure  the  goat  from  its 
native  wilds.  The  story  of  the  journey  would  be  too  tedious  for 
my  brief  letter,  and  I  will  merely  add  that,  with  an  expensive  out- 
fit at  Constantinople,  a  perilous  journey  of  months,  and  the  loss 
of  many  men  and  camels,  he  succeeded  in  capturing  and  carrying, 
away  eleven  of  the  famous  animals,  whose  fleeces,  in  the  shape  of 
shawls,  are  so  highly  prized  and  coveted  by  the  ladies  of  all  civil- 
ized nations  and  for  which  prices  almost  startling  have  been  paid 
by  the  wealthy."  In  the  light  of  later  efforts  to  obtain  goats  from 
.Asia  Minor,  we  may  easily  believe  the  story  recited  above;  in  the 
light  of  history  and  later  experience,  however,  it  is  now  known  that 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  37 

the  remarks  concerning  the  value  of  the  fleece  did  not  apply  to 
the  animals  which  had  been  secured. 

An  account  of  how  Doctor  Davis  obtained  these  animals,  as 
furnished  the  author  by  Mrs.  White,  will  prove  interesting,  and  is 
as  follows :  "Doctor  James  B.  Davis,  hearing  from  Bishop  South- 
gate,  who  had  been  in  Persia  as  a  missionary  of  the  Episcopal 
church,  of  these  silken-fleeced  goats,  realized  their  value  and  the 
importance  of  introducing  them  into  his  own  country.  He  sent 
a  trusty  messenger  to  a  native  friend  of  Bishop  Southgate,  to  whom 
a  letter  was  written  explaining  the  wish  of  Doctor  Davis  to  obtain 
Cashmere  goats  of  the  purest  blood;  and,  being  familiar  with 
the  country  and  with  the  breed  of  goats  that  were  desired,  he  pur- 
chased for  Doctor  Davis  ten  pure-blood  Cashmere  goats  and  one 
pair  of  Tibet  shawl  goats.  Whether  these  were  the  genuine 
Cashmere,  as  Doctor  Davis  believed,  or  not,  there  has  certainly 
never  been  any  importation  of  goats  made  subsequent  to  this  one 
that  has  equaled  the  Cashmeres  purchased  in  Persia  by  this  native 
Persian  for  Doctor  Davis  and  by  him  imported  into  the  United 
States.  The  messenger  sent  by  Doctor  Davis  was  absent  several 
months,  and  the  Doctor  thought  the  effort  to  purchase  these  goats 
was  a  failure.  Finally  the  messenger  returned  with  the  goats. 
These  were  brought  to  the  model  cotton  farm  furnished  Doctor 
Davis  by  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  for  experimenting  in  the  raising 
of  cotton  in  Turkey.  The  ten  Cashmere  goats  lived,  but  one  of  the 
Tibet  shawl  goats  died,  and  only  the  ewe  goat  was  brought  to  the 
United  States.  The  goats  were  brought  down  from  the  mountains 
to  Dr.  Davis  on  the  farm  near  San  Stefano  on  camels  driven  by 
the  usual  camel  drivers." 

The  Clienery  Importations. 

Winthrop  W.  Chener}^  of  Belmont,  near  Boston,  is  generally 
credited  with  the  second  importation  and  also  with  the  third. 
However,  W.  G.  Hughes  furnished  Schreiner  with  information 
that  in  1856  or  1857  the  second  importation  was  by  Eichard  Peters 
and  C.  S.  Brown,  and  the  number  of  animals  was  "six  or  eight." 
Colonel  Black^  says  of  the  Chenery  importation,  upon  the  authority 
of  Wm.  M.  Landrum:  "The  second  importation  was  made  by 
Mr.  W.  W.  Chenery,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  about  the  year  1861,  which 
consisted  of  twenty  head,  but  they  were  affected  with  the  Asiatic 
scab,  and  all  died." 

The  following  remarks  on  two  importations,  both  by  Chenery, 
were  published  in  the  latter  part  of  1862  in  the  Massachusetts 

'A  New  Industry,  p.  48. 


38  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

Ploughman:  "Two  importations  oi;  tlicso  l)caiitifiil  animals,  pur- 
chased in  Constantino])lo  and  consignctl  to  planters  in  the  South, 
have  been  landed  upon  the  inhospitable  shores  of  Massachusetts, 
•where  they  still  remain  to  illustrate,  under  the  fostering  care  of 
one  of  our  most  experienced  importers  and  breeders  of  stock,  their 
capacity  for  acclimation  in  that  latitude  and  their  commercial 
value  to  the  farmer  and  the  manufacturer.  The  importations  of 
the  Angora,  or  Caslimcre,  goats  to  which  we  refer  are  at  the  High- 
land Stock  Farm  of  Winthro})  W.  Chenery,  of  Belmont,  near 
Boston. 

"The  first  of  the  two  lots,  consisting  of  thirty-nine  animals  in 
Mr.  Chenery's  hands,  was  shipped  at  Constantinople  on  the  26th 
of  March,  1861,  and  arrived  at  Boston  on  the  loth  of  May,  except 
two  animals  which  died  on  the  passage.  They  remained  in  Boston 
until  the  24th,  during  which  time  they  were  sheared,  and  were  then 
taken  to  Mr.  Chenery's  farm.  They  were  turned  to  pasture  in  the 
daytime  and  carefully  housed  at  night. 

"The  second  lot,  consisting  of  forty-one  head,  left  Constanti- 
nople on  the  6th  of  October,  1861,  in  the  same  vessel,  and  arrived 
here  on  the  25th  of  November  with  the  loss  of  only  one  upon  the 
l)assage. 

"In  the  whole  flock,  eighty  in  all,  there  were  about  a  dozen 
males,  and  all  the  animals  wintered  well.  The  flock  was  increased 
by  the  addition  of  sixteen  kids  in  the  spi'ing,  but,  in  consequence 
of  night  exposure  after  shearing  through  the  ignorance  or  care- 
lessness of  the  man  who  had  the  care  of  them,  the  animals  suf- 
fered much  and  twenty-four  died." 

Mr.  Landrum  is  authority  for  the  statement  that  Mr.  Chenery 
made  a  further  shipment  of  twenty  head  in  1866  and  still  another 
of  twenty  head  in  1867;  and  that  about  thirty  only  of  the  forty 
arrived  alive. 

The  Brcii'er  Importation. 

This  was  an  importation  of  real  Cashmeres  rather  than  An- 
goras, or  so-called  Cashmeres,  and  is  mentioned  here  only  as  an 
item  interwoven  with  the  early  history  of  Angora  importations. 
There  were  nine  in  the  lot.  They  were  purchased  of  a  captain  of 
a  vessel  from  the  Mediterranean.  A  previous  arrangement  was 
probably  made  with  the  captain  of  this  vessel,  as  one  George  Trow- 
bridge, a  friend  of  Brewer,  says  that  the  latter  gentleman  imported 
them  from  Turkey.  In  1859  Colonel  Peters  purchased  out  of  this 
flock  "a  purebred  male  Tibet  goat  and  three  females  having  the 
appearance  of  being  half  Tibet,  half  Angora,"  as  he  himself 
states. 


ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING.  39 

The  Stiles  Importation. 

The  Country  Gentleman  of  1860  gives  a  very  brief  account  of 
the  importation  of  eight  Angoras,  which  at  the  time  were  said  to 
be  the  first  to  arrive  after  the  Davis  importation.  It  is  said  that 
they  had  been  brought  about  a  thousand  miles  inland  and  shipped 
from  Smyrna.  The  exact  date  of  their  arrival  has  not  been  fixed. 
No  records  have  come  to  light  giving  any  date,  but  the  nearest  is 
the  notice  in  the  Country  Gentleman  for  January  29,  1860,  which 
says  "recently."  Schreiner  does  not  mention  the  importation, 
neither  does  Landrum,  and  Black,  quoting  from  a  letter  by  J. 
Washington  Watts,  who  was  for  many  3'ears  a  goat  breeder,  and 
a  personal  friend  of  Doctor  Davis,  and  who  still  lives,  says  they 
came  "just  before  the  v/ar."  Mr.  Watts  purchased  a  doe  out  of 
this  importation.  He  said  these  goats  were  "larger  and  stouter 
than  the  Davis  goats,  but  inferior  in  fleece." 

Xlie  Dielil  and  Brown  Importation. 

An  importation  was  made  by  Israel  fS.  Diehl,  who  had  been 
United  States  consul  at  Batavia,  and  Charles  S.  Brown,  of  New- 
ark, X.  J.  It  is  difficult  to  fix  the  exact  date  of  the  coming  of 
these  goats,  but  it  was  probably  during  the  year  1867.  It  could 
not  have  been  later,  for  the  Country  Gentleman  for  December  13, 
1867,  says:  "One  hundred  and  sixty  of  these  goats,  purchased  in 
Asiatic  Turkey  by  Mr.  Israel  S.  Diehl,  recently  arrived  in  this 
country,  and  have  been  placed  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  C.  S.  Brown,  of 
Newark,  N.  J.  Mr.  Diehl  was  commissioned  by  the  United  States 
Agricultural  Department  last  April  to  visit  the  Angora  country 
and  obtain  all  possible  information  regarding  the  goats,  the  best 
method  of  raising  them,  etc." 

Mr.  C.  P.  Bailey  furnished  the  money  for  the  transportation 
of  these  goats  to  California  with  the  understanding  that  he  should 
have  the  first  choice  at  their  sale.  He  says  of  them:  "Some  of 
these  goats  were  fairly  good  and  some  were  only  ordinary.  They 
were  conceded  to  be  the  best  imported  up  to  that  time.  They  were 
of  medium  size,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  neck,  tolerably  well 
covered  with  fleece,  which,  however,  had  a  scattering  of  kemp 
throughout." 

Tbe  Euticliicles  Importation. 

There  is  nothing  at  hand  to  show  the  exact  date  of  arrival  of 
this  importation.  Landrum  says  they  came  in  1871  and  Schrenier 
says  1870.  Landrum  says  "about  one  hundred  were  landed"  out 
of  two  hundred  shipped  from  Turkey.  Schreiner  says  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  were  shipped.     The  records  all  state  that  many 


40  ANGORA   GOAT  RAISING. 

that  were  shipped  died  of  Asiatic  scab  during  tlie  voyage  and  many 
others  after  their  arrival  here. 

A.  Eutichides  was  a  native  Tiiik,  and  the  goats  he  imported 
Mere  fcom  his  father's  flock.  The  animals  which  survived  the  dis- 
ease were  poor  grades  and  failed  to  bring  the  prices  that  he  ex- 
])ected  to  get.  AVhatever  the  number  may  have  been  in  this  im- 
portation, there  is  evidence  of  record  that  they  were  kept  for  a 
time  at  Owings  Mills,  Md.,  near  Baltimore.  This  statement 
appears  in  an  article  published  in  the  Country  Gentleman  of  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1875,  signed  by  the  initials  "M.  S.  C."  This  writer  says 
he  purchased  two  of  these  goats,  paying  $125  each  for  them.  He 
gives  more  of  his  experience,  as  follows:  "Soon  after  I  had  pur- 
chased my  pair  of  goats,  Mr.  Eutichides  proposed  that  I  should  take 
his  whole  imported  flock  to  keep  on  my  farm  on  shares.  We  came 
to  an  agreement,  and  the  whole  flock  numbering,  I  think,  about 
one  hundred  and  seventy-two  head,  was  brought  here  [Rapidan 
Station,  Ya.]  in  midsummer,  looking  very  badly."  This  move- 
ment was  attended  by  all  manner  of  misfortunes,  which  was  prob- 
ably due  to  the  Asiatic  scab  already  mentioned,  and  the  corre- 
spondent requested  Mr.  Eutichides  to  take  them  away.  This  ho 
did,  taking  them  to  a  farm  owned  by  himself  in  Appomattox.  Va. 
Here  they  probably  remained  until  their  shipment  to  California, 
where  they  were  sold  at  auction  at  disastrous  prices.  Eutichides 
became  discouraged  and  soon  after  returned  to  Thessaly  to  engage 
in  faniiincf. 

Tbc  Harris^  and  Hall  Iiiii>ortativu. 

On  April  Ki,  is:."),  John  S.  Harris,  a  jolly  Scotchman  who 
still  lives  to  encourage  the  hundreds  of  beginners  in  the  Angora 
goat  industry,  started  from  his  home  at  Hollister,  Cal.,  and  trav- 
eled via  Yokahama,  Hongkong,  Singapore,  and  Calcutta  on  his 
way  to  Tibet  with  the  purpose  in  view  of  purchasing  goats  for  his 
California  farm.  Landing  in  China,  it  was  his  purpose  to  proceed 
to  Tibet  overland.  This,  however,  he  found  impracticable,  and, 
going  to  Calcutta,  he  went  through  India  to  the  Cashmere  dis- 
trict to  inspect  the  famous  Cashmere  goats  of  that  country.  The 
home  of  the  Cashmere  goat,  he  found,  is  in  the  Himalaya  Moun- 
tains, 2:2,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  in  a  region  of  eternal 
snows.  Knowing  that  these  could  not  be  ])rofitably  acclimatized 
in  California,  he  concluded  to  go  to  Angora,  in  Asia  ]\Iinor,  but 
could  not  proceed  overland  on  account  of  war,  nor  by  the  way  of 
the  Persian  Gulf  l)ecause  of  the  unsettled  state  of  the  country.  He 
therefore  returned  to  Calcutta  and  went  by  way  of  Ceylon,  Indian 
Ocean,  Red  Sea,  and  Suez  Canal  to  Port  Said,  over  the  Taurus 


JOHN  S.  HARRIS.  SALEM,  OREGON. 


42  ANGORA   GOAT   UAISING. 

Mountains.  He  was  twont3'-onc  days  in  crossing  these  mountains, 
and  suffered  severely  from  intense  cold,  snows,  etc.,  with  no  other 
food  than  black  bread  and  a  kind  of  molasses.  Arriving  in  An- 
gora, he  purchased  two  bucks  and  ten  does.  With  these  he  started 
for  the  coast.  His  precious  goats  were  slung  in  boxes  en  donkeys, 
and  mules  were  taken  along  to  carry  provender  and  baggage.  He 
endeavored  to  reach  Smyrna,  but,  after  floundering  in  the  moun- 
tains several  days,  he  was  compelled  to  return  to  Angora.  Thence 
he  turned  north  to  Ismid,  where  he  took  a  train  for  Constantinople. 
His  next  stop  was  at  Liverpool,  where  the  goats  attracted  much 
attention.  They  arrived  at  Baltimore  on  ]\Iarch  23,  1876.  The 
goats  were  all  yearlings,  and  they  cost  the  importers  $525  each, 
landed  at  Baltimore. 

Mr.  Harris  was  the  second  person  from  the  United  States  to 
go  into  the  interior  of  Asia  Minor  to  purchase  goats,  Israel  S. 
Diehl  being  the  first.  Few  people  have  realized  the  difficulties  and 
real  dangers  which  Mr.  Harris  encountered,  especially  in  India. 
He  everywhere  received  the  cordial  support  of  the  English  officers 
there,  but  they  all  recognized  the  danger  of  his  going  into  the 
valley  of  the  Cashmere  without  a  knowledge  of  the  language.  An 
illustration  of  this  fact  is  shown  in  two  out  of  several  official  let- 
ters which  were  written  in  his  interest: 

Lahore,  Sepi.  9,  1875. 
My  Dear  Jenkins. 

I  give  this  to  a  very  intelligent  man,  named  John  S.  Harris,  who 
has  come  all  the  way  from  California  to  get  a  dozen  Cashmere  buck 
goats  to  improve  his  stock  in  his  former  country. 

Considering  the  man  knowing  nothing  of  the  language,  I  think  it 
shows  he  is  a  very  sporting  character  to  come  so  far  on  such  a 
speculation  and  deserves  every  assistance. 

The  man  is  game  to  go  into  Cashmere  to  buy  the  goats  himself,  but 
he  has  only  a  month  left  before  he  must  leavT  the  valley  again.  I 
have  advised  him  to  ?o  and  see  you,  as  I  have  no  doubt  you  will 
admire  the  fellow's  pluck  and  do  all  you  can  to  help  him,  or  if  you 
send  a  man  up  to  Jummoo,  e:ther  with  him  or  alone,  you  could  get 
from  the  Maharajah's  people  the  goats.  He  has  money  to  pay.  It  is 
really  a  very  enterprising  thing  and  you  are  just  the  man  to  appre- 
ciate and  encourage  it,  so  I  do  not  hesitate  to  ask  you  to  help  him. 

Best  regards.  Yours  sincerely, 

M.  Hknry  Nesbet. 

[Postoffice  illegible.] 
Sept.  11,  1875. 
My  Dear  Henderson: 

1  can  not  arrange  better  than  by  letting  Mr.  Harris  go  through  by 
the  Jummoo  route.  He  seems  a  man  who,  from  what  Nesbet  says, 
should  be  encouraged,  and  in  this  I  agree;  yet  to  let  him  go  in  by  the 
Jummoo  route,  gritty  as  he  is,  without  knowing  a  word  of  the  language, 
would  be  madness. 

I  am  rather  surprised,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  at  Nesbet  sending  him 
on  ahead,  as   I  could  not  get  him  passed  on  earlier  by  the  Jummoo 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  43 

route,  as  there  will  be  a  difficulty  about  supplies,  etc.  He  has  arrived 
here  without  a  servant  and  there  are  [none]  I  could  get  here  whom  I 
could  trust  him  with.    He  does  not  know  a  word  of  the  language. 

I  have  tneretore  recommended  him  to  go  in  by  Murree,  where  he 
will  have  a  cnance  of  getting  a  servant,  etc. 

For  this  purpose  I  give  him  this  letter,  open,  so  that  may 

read  it  and  help  him  on  with  a  letter  to  the  Cashmere  post.  He  tells 
me  that  he  wants  to  go  into  Cashmere  to  get  the  goats  himself,  as  he 
wants  to  see  how  they  are  kept,  fed  and  cared  for.  I  dare  say  I  could 
get  him  the  goats  through  the  Jummoo  people,  but  this  does  not  seem 
to  suit  him.    Please  afford  him  every  aid  in  your  power,  and  oblige. 

Yours  sincerely, 

C.  Jenkins. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  in  connection  with  this  account  that 
Mr.  Harris  was  the  first  person  to  send  a  cable  dispatch  from  An- 
gora to  the  United  States.  He  was  given  a  receipt  for  the  cost  of 
the  dispatch  and  it  is  now  in  his  possession.  On  the  back  of  the 
telegram,  over  the  signature  of  the  British  Consular  Agent  at  An- 
gora, is  a  statement  of  the  fact  just  mentioned. 

Tlie  Feters,  or  Jenks,  Importation. 

This  is  another  importation  for  which  no  definite  date  has 
been  fixed.  Landrum  says  they  came  in  1873,  but  this  is  probably 
an  error  of  typography.  Schreiner  gives  the  year  as  1879,  which 
may  be  correct,  but  there  is  room  for  doubt.  A  daily  paper  of 
Boston,  dated  January  31,  1880,  gives  an  account  of  the  arrival  of 
the  goats  on  the  steamer  Dorian,  from  Constantinople  direct.  The 
evidence  therefore  is  that  they  arrived  about  the  latter  part  of 
January,  1880.  They  were  imported  by  C.  W.  Jenks,  of  Boston, 
for  Colonel  Peters.  The  daily  paper  referred  to  sa5^s  of  them: 
"They  were  brought  some  hundreds  of  miles  on  mule  back  to  the 
coast  from  the  province  of  Geredeh,  in  the  interior  of  Asia  Minor. 
The  Angoras  heretofore  received  in  this  country  have  been  from 
provinces  near  the  coast,  and  are  smaller,  with  fleeces  of  four,  five 
and  six  pounds.  The  Geredeh  breed  is  larger,  with  fleeces  of  eight, 
ten,  twelve,  and,  in  some  cases,  fifteen,  pounds  weight  of  mohair, 
very  fine  and  silky." 

The  number  in  this  lot  was  three.  Colonel  Peters  did  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  their  mohair  was  inferior  to  that  of  the  goats 
from  Angora.     It  was  an  unsatisfactory  importation. 

Fink  &  Company  Importation. 

This  was  an  importation  of  four  animals — two  bucks  and  two 

tloes from  Delagoa  Bay.     They  arrived  at  New  York  on  August 

13,  1886,  on  the  steamship  Lydian  Monarch,  consigned  to  E.  A. 
Shults,  and  were  for  Fink  &   Company,  of  Leon   Springs,  Tex. 


44  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

They  were  the  first  goats  to  come  to  us  from  South  Africa,  and 
seem  to  have  been  a  very  poor  lot.  So  little  has  been  heard  of  them 
that  many  goat  raisers  have  doubted  that  there  ever  was  such  an 
importation;  but  there  are  sufficient  records  to  show  that  the 
goats  arrived  as  stated  above.  Schreiner  mentions  the  same  ship- 
ment, and  says  that  they  came  from  the  farm  of  J.  B.  Evans,  of 
(xraaff  Keinet.  He  also  says  thev  were  reported  as  being  ""a  fine 
lot." 

Tlie  C.  P.  Bailey  A;  Sons  (oiupany  Importation. 

With  the  exception  of  Fink  &  Company,  this  firm  is  the  only 
one  that  has  imported  goats  from  South  Africa.  In  1893  they 
purchased  from  R.  Cawood,  Ganna  Hock,  Cradock,  South  Africa, 
two  bucks  and  placed  them  with  their  flock  at  San  Jose,  Cal.  These 
animals  were  selected  for  points,  and  their  blood  has  greatly  bene- 
fited the  Bailey  stock. 

In  1899  they  imported  another  buck  from  South  Africa.  One 
of  the  points  they  particularly  desired  in  this  new  buck  was  an 
increased  amount  of  oil  in  the  hair  and  he  proved  to  have  a  very 
oily  fleece — more  oily  than  they  would  wish  in  their  own  flocks — 
but  the  offspring  have,  in  their  estimation,  exactly  the  amount  of 
oil  desired. 

The  last  importation  of  this  firm,  and  the  last  one  that  has  come 
from  any  foreign  land,  was  in  1901.  ^^'illard  C.  Bailey  personally 
visited  every  goat  raising  section  of  Asia  Minor  in  the  latter  part 
of  1900  and  the  early  months  of  1901,  and  in  Angora  vilayet  pur- 
chased four  animals  for  ex})ort.  Notwithstanding  the  decree  of  the 
Sultan  of  1881  that  no  further  export  of  Angora  goats  should  be 
permitted.  Dr.  Bailey  succeeded,  by  some  sort  of  means,  in  getting 
out  with  four  animals.  Ho  states  that  the  Turkish  government 
threw  every  possible  inconvenience  in  his  way,  yet  he  carried  with 
him  an  honorary  commission  from  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture.  The  goats  duly  arrived  at  the  Bailey  farm  in 
California  in  good  condition,  after  a  long  journey,  and  are  pro- 
nounced  excellent   individuals. 

Dr.  Bailey's  notes  of  his  seai'ch  for  goats  through  Asia  Elinor — 
notes  on  the  people,  their  customs  and  habits,  their  agriculture, 
their  animals,  etc. — are  very  interesting.  AYith  reference  to  his 
difficulty  in  getting  the  goats  out  of  the  country,  he  says:  "A 
ride  on  mule  back,  then  on  camels;  a  trip  in  a  closed  carriage; 
then  to  be  tightly  packed  in  a  sack  and  carried  for  miles  on  a  man's 
back;  next  to  be  given  a  hay  ride  on  the  Bosphorous  (under  a  boat 
load  of  loose  hay)  ;  to  be  shorn  in  cold  weather  and  run  through 
coal  dust,  onlv  to  look  the  death  ax  in  the  face,  I)ut  to  lie  saved 


DR.  W.  C.  BAILEY. 


40  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

by  the  'golden  wand' ;  tlirongh  the  streets  of  the  oriental  capital  in 
an  open  wagon,  but  looking  more  like  dead  animals  than  live  ones; 
even  now  to  l)e  stopped  three  times  by  customs  officials  and  the 
police,  and  as  many  times  passed.  They  are  out  of  the  Ottoman 
Empire  now,  but  they  have  yet  a  long  and  tiresome  trip." 

Dr.  Bailey  is  one  of  the  three  men  who  have  gone  into  the 
interior  of  Asia  Minor  for  goats.  His  predecessors  were  Diehl 
and  Harris.  He  is  the  only  one  who  has  ventured  upon  such  an 
errand  since  the  Sultan  prohibited  further  cxportations,  which  was 
in  1881. 

Tlie  Laudruui  Iiuportatioii. 

On  April  2G,  1901,  there  arrived  at  Xew  York  two  South 
African  yearling  bucks,  for  William  :\L  Landrum,  of  Laguna, 
Tex.,  the  veteran  breeder  of  Angoras.  They  were  seventy  days  on 
the  journey  to  Xew  York,  and  reached  their  new  home  on  ilay  2. 
These  two  goats  were  bred  in  South  Africa  by  R.  C.  Holmes,  their 
sire  being  Dick,  which  was  the  prize  Inick  at  the  Port  Elizabeth 
show  in  1900. 

These  goats  have  not  yet  been  on  exhibition,  but  some  of  their 
kids  have  been  exhibited  and  were  prize  winners  at  the  exhibit  of 
the  American  Angora  Goat  Breeders'  Association  in  1902.  They 
possessed  most  excellent  qualities,  and  b}'  seeing  them  one  is  almost 
ready  to  indorse  what  Mr.  Landrum  says,  in  the  following  words, 
of  his  imported  bucks:  "These  are  the  most  perfect  goats  I  have 
ever  seen,  and  I  have  seen  all  but  a  very  few  of  all  that  have  been 
imported  to  the  Cnited  States.  Those  who  thought  that  there 
are  no  first-class  Angoras  in  South  Africa  have  been  mistaken. 
Pasha  is  a  better  goat  than  any  that  ever  came  to  America  from 
Turkey,  and  these  are  even  more  perfect  than  Pasha.  Of  the 
goats  from  Turkey,  some  have  had  one  fine  point  and  some  another, 
but  I  have  never  seen  a  goat  before  with  all  the  good  points  these 
have.  The  Davis  goats  had  the  finest  fleece  in  the  world,  but  it 
was  confined  to  their  sides.  Their  bellies  and  throats  were  naked, 
and  they  had  coarse  hair  on  tlioir  backs.  Diehl  had  some  good 
goats  but  none  perfect.  Clu'iicry  had  four  or  five  almost  perfect 
does,  but  no  bucks  to  equal  them.  A  perfect  animal  in  any  breed 
is  hard  to  get." 

Concerning  Future  Importation^^. 

The  prol)abilities  are  that  it  will  be  many  years  before  there 
are  any  further  importations.  The  prohibitive  decree  of  the  Sultan 
of  Turkey,  issued  in  1SS1.  lias  alrcaily  boon  mentioned,  and  there 
is  nothing  to  justify  ;i  bopc  lliat    it  will  Ik'  repealed.     There  are 


ANGORA  GOAT  UAISING- 


very  few  people  wlio  would  take  all  the  risks  that  Doetor  Bailey 
took  and  there  are  fewer  still  who  would  succeed.  Soutli  Africa 
lias  provided  for  an  export  tax  of  £1U0  on  each  Angora  goat.  Al- 
though this  is  not  now  in  force,  it  may  be  made  effective  at  any 
time  when  the  goat  raisers  may  desire  it.  Besides,  the  presence 
in  South  Africa  of  contagious  diseases  which  affect  goats,  sheep, 
and  cattle,  has  caused  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry  to  quaran- 
tine against  goats  and  other  ruminants  from  that  country.  How 
long  this  situation  will  remain  no  one  can  tell. 


^^^-colI^oe"' 


CHAPTER  IV, 

NUMBER   OF   ANGORA   GOATS   AND   PRODUCTION    OF   MOHAIR. 
Number  In  llie  United  States. 

Previous  to  the  year  1899  the  vor}^  large  majority  of  the  An- 
gora goats  in  the  United  States  were  located  in  Texas,  New 
Mexico,  Arizona,  California,  and  Oregon ;  there  were  some  States 
which  probahly  did  not  have  a  dozen  within  their  borders.  At 
the  present  time,  however,  they  may  be  found  in  every  State  and 
Territory.  The  increase  in  numbers  has  not  been  so  great,  but 
the  spread  over  such  a  large  territory  in  three  years  is  little  less 
than  marvelous,  and  could  have  been  brought  about  by  nothing 
less  than  American  energy. 

The  goat  men  were  "very  desirous  that  the  census  of  1900  should 
show  the  number  of  Angoras  in  the  United  States,  and  the  director 
of  the  census,  recognizing  the  need  of  such  statistics,  directed  that 
this  work  be  done.  As  the  report  which  is  published  does  not 
differentiate  between  the  breed,  the  public  accepts  the  explanation 
that  the  failure  rests  with  the  enumerators.  The  statistics  which 
the  goat  men  desire — but  which  will  probably  not  be  forthcoming 
for  several  years — will  give  the  number  of  Angoras  and  common 
goats,  and  the  Angoras  will  be  divided  into  the  various  crosses  upon 
the  common  breed. 

The  number  of  goats  of  all  breeds  reported  by  the  census  of 
1900  was  1,918,904,  of  which  number  47,652  were  in  cities  and 
villages.  This  number  was  so  great  as  to  cause  surprise.  No  one 
had  an  idea  that  there  were  so  many.  They  had  not  figured  in 
the  markets  as  meat ;  their  skins  were  hardly  mentioned  as  a  prod- 
uct for  our  leather  goods  manufactures ;  any  considerable  numbers 
actually  kept  for  milk  were  seldom  heard  of;  and,  although  com- 
mon goats  will  eat  brushwood  as  readily  as  Angoras,  their  use  for 
this  purpose  had  never  been  noted.  Yet  it  was  the  few  Angoras 
only  among  these  2.000,000  goats  which  had  made  any  impression 
upon  the  country.  All  of  which  leads  one  to  suspect  the  accuracy 
of  the  census  figures.  However,  the  lack  of  information  to  the 
contrary  compels  us  to  accept  these  figures.  The  accompanying 
table,  compiled  from  the  census  reports,  shows  the  number  and 
value  of  goats  of  all  breeds  in  the  several  States  and  Territories, 


50 


ANCiORA   (iOAT   RAISING. 


and  also  tlu'  miinl)or  of  farms  on  wliich  they  were  found.     Tliis 
tahle  does  not   include  those  in  cities  and  villa»?es. 


NUMBER  AND  VAMK 


U.N     KAKMJ^ 


THE  UNITED  STATE.S 


State  or  Territory. 

Number 
of  farms 
report- 
ing. 

Number. 

Value. 

Alabama 

8,633 

436 

4.571 

1..579 

6>() 

73 

4S 

6 

2.1.54 

6.716 

19 

68 

1,642 

1..518 

733 

3.007 

995 

2.144 

2.723 

70 

227 

14.T 

537 

498 

5.431 

2,7.51 

61 

488 

39 

61 

300 

2,874 

576 

5  089 

142 

1.025 

277 

2.178 

763 

16 

3.643 

252 

3.66:^ 

6,742 

93 

41 

1,004 

165 

219 

534 

47 

117.413 

98.403 

51.839 

109  021 

3r.433 

313 

143 

9 

43.705 

84,6-24 

6.53 

4.481 

8  877 

4.484 

10.529 

41.468 

18.288 

11,967 

38.308 

279 

1,179 

1,254 

2.861 

3.821 

55.388 

24.487 

1,713 

2,399 

4.633 

208 

699 

224,136 

1.316 

42.901 

1  I*'*' 

5;432 

m.mi 

2,197 

23 

26..576 

2.915 

2.5. 8W 

627.333 

1.427 

102 

.5,305 

2,876 

847 

3.882 

2.66B 

$     91.258 
167  863 

Arkansas 

California 

58.788 
262  981 

73.141 

1.915 

Delaware 

519 

District  of  Ck)lumbia. 

39 

Florida 

32.6.39 

(ieorfria 

61,972 

731 

20.167 

Illinois  ...                  

19  932 

8920 

21,538 

Iowa                                                 

146.708 

71,29  J 

Kentucky 

19.75! 

Louisiana. 

35,697 

1.091 

4.023 

Massachusetts                 .... 

7,188 

10iO8 

12.908 

Mississippi . 

45..5»4 

64.786 

7,870 

Nebraska . 

9.126 

Nevada 

12.948 

New  Hampshire 

New  Jersey . 

916 
3.006 

472,961 

6,442 

North  Carolina. 

37,997 

5,308 

16.975 

Oklahoma. 

10.8.54 

375.229 

8.951 

Rhode  Island. 

131 

24.4.50 

1.5,050 

Tennessee 

38.938 

923.777 

2,702 

Vermont                     . .                        

444 

Virginia 

10.002 

West  Virginia           .     .           

2.12:^ 

Wisconsin 

12,760 

11,884 

Total 

77..534 

1.871,2.52 

$;i  266  080 

It  is.  of  course,  impossible  for  anyone  to  know  how  many  of 
these  2,000,000  goats  are  of  the  Angora  breed.  We  may,  however, 
be  permitted  to  venture  a  little  guessing.  The  census  gives  961,3(53 
pounds  of  mohair  as  the  product  of  1899.  Now,  if  w^e  consider 
everything  as  an  Angora  which  produces  mohair — from  the  first 
cross  to  th&  highest  bred  animal — the  average  production  of  mohair 


2  3 


--  a 


SI 


<  5 


w'g 


52  ANc;ORA   CiOAT   RAISING. 

per  lioad  would  1)0  not  far  from  two  pounds.  This  ostimato  may 
be  too  high.  This  means,  then,  that  there  were  about  oUO.OOO  An- 
goras in  1899.  At  this  time  (autumn  of  1902)  the  nunil)er  of 
Angoras  of  all  grades  in  the  United  States  is  not  far  from  700,000. 
It  may  be  said,  incidentally,  that  the  number  of  thoroughbred  or 
iiighl)rc'd  Angoras  is  very  much  smaller. 

Number  In  Soutb  Africa. 

The  number  of  Angora  goats  in  Cape  Colony  in  1891,  accord- 
ing to  the  census  returns,  was  3,184,018.  W.  Hammond  Tooke 
has  estimated  the  number  for  the  years  1893  to  1898  to  be  as 
follows : 


Nunober. 
2.81 1  '.JOe 

1896 

Number. 
2  546  981 

2  619  708 

1897 

•>  68.5  U80 

2.611,083 

1898 

2.982.811 

Elsewhere  it  is  shown  that  the  average  annual  exportation  of 
mohair  from  the  Colony  for  the  five  years  of  1896  to  1900.  On 
the  basis  of  3,000,000  goats  in  1900,  an  estimate  warranted  by  Mr. 
Tooke's  figures,  this  would  show  the  average  weight  of  the  fleeces 
to  be  3.75  pounds.  This,  of  course,  can  not  be  correct.  If  we 
divide  the  11,253,470  pounds  of  mohair  exported  in  1900  by  2, 
which  is  more  likely  the  average  Aveight  of  the  fleece,  we  get  5,62G,- 
735.  This  must  represent  pretty  nearly  the  number  of  Angoras  in 
South  Africa  in  1900.  The  war  which  decimated  the  herds  of  live 
stock  in  that  country  had  a  blighting  effect  upon  the  goat  industry, 
and  it  is  very  probable  at  this  time  that  there  are  not  5,000,000 
fleece  bearing  goats  in  that  country. 

Number  in  Turkey. 

The  numljer  of  Angoras  in  the  vilayet  of  Angora,  in  Asia 
]\linor,  can  not  be  given  with  any  degree  of  approximate  accuracy. 
There  were  1,230,000  there  in  1894,  according  to  Schreiner.  While 
the  best  goats  are  in  this  vilayet  and  a  greater  number  are  there 
than  in  any  other,  it  is  a  fact  that  there  are  many  Angoras  in  other 
parts  of  Asia  Minor.  It  is  well  known  that  practically  all  of  the 
mohair  product  is  exported  to  Bradford,  and  the  declared  exports 
to  that  market  show  an  annual  average  for  the  years  1896  to  1900 
of  9,316,477  pounds.  An  English  authority,  who  is  thoroughly 
familiar  with  the  Angora  goat  industry  of  Turkey,  says  the  average 
weight  of  the  fleeces  is  under  3  pounds.  Let  us  suppose  it  to  be 
2>4  pounds;  this  would  indicate  the  number  of  goats  to  3,726,000. 
This  same  English  authority  says  the  number  of  goats  there  has 
been  stationary  for  the  last  twenty  years.  The  testimony  of  others 
who  are  familiar  with  the  industry  there  agrees  with  his.     There 


54  ANGORA   GOAT   ItAISIN(J. 

appears  to  be  no  further  ojiportuiiity  I'oi'  expansion  under  tlie  eon- 
ditions  and  methods  wliidi  now  ohtain  and  the  Turk  will  be  slow 
to  change  his  methods  or  to  aceei)!  new  ideas. 

Production  oflTIoIiair  in  the  United  States. 

The  eensus  collected  statistics  on  "mohair  and  goat  liair"  (all 
was  probably  mohair),  and  asceiiained  the  (piantity  produced  in 
1899  to  be"9ni.3(M  pounds.  The  Bureau  of  .\ninial  Industry, 
however,  in  correspondence  with  some  of  the  leading  mills  which 
handle  mohair,  found  that  the  four  largest  consumers  used  1,07 T.- 
000  pounds  in  1899.  Three  of  them  used  1,089,550  pounds  in 
1900,  and  1.327.095  in  1901.  It  might  be  argued  that  the  mills 
purchased  mohair  which  had  heen  lield  over  in  store  from  a  ])re- 
vious  year;  hut  that  hardly  e.\])lains  the  increased  production  for 
three  consecutive  years,  and  leads  one  again  to  suspect  the  accuracy 
of  the  census  figures.  It  must  be  renK'mbered,  also,  that  several 
mills  which  were  not  mentioned  consumed  a  considerable  quantity 
of  mohair.  So  it  is  pretty  safe  to  say  that  the  production  of  Amer- 
ican mohair  was  about  1,000,000  pounds  in  1899,  witli  a  small 
annual   increase  for  the  years  since   that  time. 

The  accompanying  table  compiled  from  census  reports,  shows 
for  1899  the  quantity  of  mohair  produced  by  States  and  Terri- 
tories, the  total  value  of  the  same,  and  the  value  ]k'v  pound  in  each 
State.  The  average  value  per  pound  for  the  whole  country  was 
27.8  cents. 


ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 


55 


QUANTITY  AND  VALUE  OF  MOHAIB  AND  GOAT  HAIR  PRODUCED  IN 
FROM  REPORTS   OF  THE  TWELFTH   CENSUS. 


State. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Value 

per 

pound. 

Pounds. 

469 

27.030 

1.763 

169.770 

1,843 

465 

20 

726 

2!793 

867 

760 

28.080 

4.066 
524 
385 
105 

1.120 

1,833 
5.56 

10,203 

2,750 

5,801 

10,590 

30 

113,545 

383 

416 

1,220 

469 

693 

267.780 

720 

10 

73 

1,693 

1.486 

274.810 

459 

5 

343 

4.000 

140 

514 

8,100 

Dollars. 

140 

7,326 

487 

'550 

177 

8 

215 

3,989 

751 

383 

136 

8,607 

1.077 

163 

93 

396 

419 

180 

84 

2.798 

834 

1.725 

3.673 

9 

39.917 

155 

97 

448 

113 

187 

74,363 

343 

3 

26 

683 

438 

77,478 

142 

113 

1,097 

43 

145 
2.413 

Cents. 
29  8 
27.9 
2.5.3 
36  9 
39.8 

Arizona 

Arkansas 

California 

Connecticut 

Florida 

40 

29.6 

34.1 

37 

32  5 

16.6 

30.6 

26.5 

31 

23.8 

20 

35.3 

22.8 

32.3 

31.7 

27.4 

30 

30 

35 

30 

26.4 

40 

23 

36.7 

34 

267 

20.3 

33.3 

20 

35.6 

40.3 

39 

38.2 

31 

40 

33 

27.4 

30.7 

38.3 

39.7 

Georgia 

Idaho 

Illinois 

Indiana . 

Kansas 

Kentucky. 

Maine  

Massachusetts . . 

Michigan  . 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Montana.. 

Nebraska 

Nevada  . 

New  Mexico 

New  York 

Ohio 

Oklahoma  . 

Rhode  Island. 

South  Carolina 

Tennessee       

Texas .                  ...                  .               ... 

Utah. 

Virginia   

Washington 

West  Virginia 

Wyoming 

961.364 

$367,875 

37.8 

Foreign  Mobair  in  Competition. 

Eetunis  to  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry  from  thp  mills  men- 
tioned above  show  that  they  consumed  1,119,4()5  pounds  of  im- 
ported mohair  in  1899,  369,475  pounds  in  1900,  and  183,137 
pounds  in  1901.  The  reduced  quantity  of  the  imported  product 
was  not  due  to  the  increased  quantity  of  the  domestic  product,  for 
that  increase  was  but  slight,  but  to  the  fact  that  mohair  manufac- 
tures have  not  been  "in  fashion"  for  two  or  three  years.  Official 
reports  show  that  we  imported  from  Turkey,  during  the  fiscal  vear 
of  1901,  mohair  to  the  value  of  $68,794.56." 

Turkey  is  sending  to  England  about  9,000,000  pounds  of  mo- 


5(5 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 


hair  annually,  and  tlie  Cape  of  (iood  Hope  and  other  Briti>h  pos- 
sessions 11,253,470  pounds;  but  so  long  as  we  arc  importers  and 
not  seeking  a  foreign  market,  these  do  not  enter  into  competition 
with  us.  The  conditions  of  our  own  country  arc  so  well  adapted 
to  the  Angora  industry  that  the  time  is  not  far  in  the  future  when 
it  is  probable  that  we  shall  produce  more  than  domestic  consump- 
tion demands;  then  we  shall  attack  the  problem  of  foreign  compe- 
tition with  every  feaurc  in  our  favor. 


mobalr  Product  of  Turkey. 

There  arc  no  exact  statistics  availal)le  on  the  mohair  production 
of  Turkey;  but  it  is  known  that  practically  all  of  the  prodil-t  is 
exported  and  that  it  goes  to  Bradford,  England.  The  reports  of 
receipts  of  mohair  in  that  market,  therefore,  will  enable  us  to  form 
an  estimate  of  the  Turkish  production,  and  they  are  quoted  here- 
with for  a  series  of  vears,  as  given  by  Schreiner  upon  good  autlior- 
ity: 


Pounds. 

1875 5.:«I.0(10 

1876 4  420.000 

1877 5,981.000 

1878 4.WI.000 

1879 5.831.000 

1880 8.24.5.000 

1881  4.221.780 

1883 9  06.i250 

1883 7256.960 

1884 9,019  8(i0 

1885 6,373.640 


Pounds. 

1886 9.82.5..320 

1887 5.6I2..550 

1888 7  .509.070 

1889 8,844.080 

1890 4,120,220 

1891  6.496.115 

1892 7.7r4..541 

1893 8.005,887 

1894 6,889.1(55 

1895 1 1,000,000 


Year. 

Pounds. 

Value. 

1896 

4.829.410 
10,701,390 
10.161.869 
l>,:i51.342 

8,538,374 

Jl.842.734 
3.6I1.9.U 
3.888.922 
4.392.367 
2,903,116 

1897 

1898 

1899 

1900 

The  returns  for  the  years  189G  to  1900  arc  from  reports  of  the 
Section  of  Foreign  Markets  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture, 
and  are  declared  exports  from  Turkey  to  England. 

The  reason  for  the  wide  fluctuations  between  years,  which  are 
sometimes  very  great,  can  lie  explained  only  on  the  supposition 
that  not  all  of  the  mohair  product  of  one  year  was  exported,  but 
was  held  back  and  placed  upon  the  market  the  next  year.  The 
product  could  not  vary  in  quantity  as  the  exports  have  done.  The 
average  annual  exports  for  1890  to  1900  was  9,316,477  pounds, 
with  an  average  annual  value  for  the  same  period  of  $3,337,814. 

inohair  Product  of  Cape  Colony. 

With  Cape  Colony,  as  with  Turkey,  estimates  of  the  production 


58 


ANGORA   GOAT  RAISING. 


of  mohair  must  be  hai^od  upon  tlio  exports ;  practically  none  of  the 
product  is  consumed  in  the  Colony. 

Schreiner   furnishes  the  official  figures  of  cx])orts  of   mohair 
from  1857  to  1898,  and  the  same  are  quoted  herewith: 


1857 
1858 
1859 
1860 
1861 
1862 
186:1 
1864 
1865 
1866 
1867 
1868 
1869 
1870 
1871 
1873 
1873 
1874 
1875 
1876 
1877 


Pounds. 
870 

503 

385 

784 

1,036 

1,:«4 

8. 104 

6,992 

21.165 

.50,832 

102..570 

260,932 

403.1.53 

.536,292 

876.861 

765.719 

1,036.570 

1.147,4.53 

1.323.039 

1,433,774 


Pounds. 

1878 1.3.58.395 

1879 2,288.116 

18^0 2..590.233 

If&l  4,(46.128 

1883 3.776.657 

1883 4.443.971 

1884 4.329.a55 

18&5 5.251.301 

1886 5,421.006 

1887  7.153,730 

1888 9. .598,768 

1889 9,442,213 

1890 9.235.249 

1891  9.953.548 

1892 10.516,837 


1893 


9.4.57.278 


1894  10,003.173 

1895 11.090.449 

1896 10.001.028 

1897 12..583.6()1 

1898 10.876,014 


The  Section  of  Foreign  Markets  of  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture has  compiled  statistics  of  exports  for  the  years  1896  to 
1900  showing  the  exports  from  British  Possessions,  including  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  Madras,  Bombay,  Natal,  and  places  of  lesser  impor- 
tance, and  the  same  are  quoted  herewith: 


Year. 

Pounds. 

Value. 

1896        '                                                                                                 ... 

10.024,399 
12,0.58.490 
10.686,730 
14,060,404 
9.437,324 

$2  631  .560 

3.088.130 

Igqg          ;                                                             

3.1.52.387 

1899: ', 

4.1.5.5.986 

1900                         

3.a55.262 

■  The  average  annual  ])roduetion   for  these  five  years  was   11,- 
253,470  pounds,  with  an  annual  average  value  of  $3,216,6t)5. 

The  Question  ol  Ovcrproduetion. 

The  question  of  overproduction  of  mohair  has  already  been 
raised,  but  the  most  careful  scanning  of  future  conditions  fails  to 
reveal  such  a  situation.  The  fact  must  be  kept  in  mind  that 
the  larger  part  of  the  domestic  product  is  of  inferior  quality  and, 
of  course,  brings  a  reduced  price.  The  same  is  trui'  of  the  South 
African  product.  The  great  demand  now  is  for  a  (piality  suitable 
for  plushes,  and  these  cheaper  grades  do  not  answer  the  purpose ; 
consequently  the  demand  for  the  low  grades  is  growing  weaker  and 
weaker.  The  result  is  that  the  mohair  growers  are  doing  all  that 
energy  and  intelligence  can  accomplish  to  produce  the  best — the 
kind  which  the  market  demands  now  and  shall  always  call  for. 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING.  59 

While  we  in  this  country  arc  already  doing  wonders  toward  this 
desirable  end,  it  will  require  many  years  to  produce  enough  to 
supply  domestic  consumption.  Therefore  the  coming  of  the  day 
when  we  shall  be  producing  a  surplus  of  first  quality  of  mohair 
is  far  in  the  future.  In  this  connection  it  will  be  interesting  to 
read  an  article  from  H.  M.  Williamson,  editor  of  the  Oregon  Agri- 
culturist and  Eural  Northwest  (September,  1902),  a  gentleman 
who  has  had  a  grasp  of  the  Angora  goat  situation  in  this  country 
for  many  years : 

"As  to  the  probable  growth  in  the  use  of  mohair  we  can  get 
some  indications  from  what  has  already  been  done.  The-  exports 
of  mohair  from  Turkey  increased  from  1,247,000  pounds  in  1839 
to  about  11,000,000  pounds  in  1895.  The  exports  from  South 
Africa  increased  from  870  pounds  in  1857  to  over  11,000,000 
pounds  in  1895.  In  a  period  of  fifty  years  ending  with  1895  the 
world's  supply  of  mohair  increased  from  about  2,000,000  pounds 
10  22,000,000  pounds.  The  period  of  most  rapid  increase  was  from 
1875  to  1895,  when  the  combined  exports  from  Turkey  and  South 
Africa  rose  from  6,468,453  pounds  to  a  little  over  22,000,000 
pounds.  Although  there  was  a  large  increase  in  the  exports  of 
mohair  from  Turkey  prior  to  1875,  there  was  no  material  change 
or  reduction  of  prices.  The  lowest  price  for  Turkish  mohair  at 
Bradford,  England,  between  1862  and  1876  was  2s.  4d.  per  pound, 
and  the  highest  was  3s.  lOd.  In  1876  the  price  was  3s.  9d.  The 
price  then  began  to  go  down  and  went  down  pretty  steadily  until 
1888,  when  the  price  of  Turkish  mohair  in  Bradford  ranged  from 
12d.  to  14d.  per  pound.  The  total  supply  of  mohair  that  year  was 
in  excess  of  17,000,000  pounds,  as  compared  with  less  than  6,500,- 
000  pounds  thirteen  years  before.  The  rate  of  increase  of  pro- 
duction during  that  interval  had  been  too  rapid,  apparently.  Since 
1888  the  increase  in  the  production  of  mohair  has  been  at  a  much 
lower  rate.  It  is  not  probable  that  the  world's  supply  last  year 
exceeded  25,000,000  pounds,  or  8,000,000  pounds  more  than  the 
supply  in  1888,  showing  not  merely  a  greatly  reduced  percentage 
of  increase  for  the  thirteen  years  as  compared  with  the  previous 
thirteen,  but  an  actual  falling  off  of  increase  from  10,500,000 
p«unds  for  the  first  period  to  8,500,000  pounds  for  the  second 
period.  Prices  during  the  past  thirteen  years  have  fluctuated  ma- 
terially, but  the  prices  of  Turkish  mohair  have  never  fallen  below 
those  of  1888  and  for  the  past  five  years  have  been  from  25  to  50 
per  cent  higher  than  they  were  in  that  year.  We  may  assume, 
therefore,  that  the  rate  of  growth  of  increase  in  the  use  of  mohair 
has  hc^n  sufficient  to  take  up  fully  the  increase  in  production. 
This  applies  strictly,  however,  only  to  Turkish  mohair.    There  has 


go  ANGORA  GOAT  RA'ISING. 

heon  a  serious  falling  off  in  the  price  of  South  African  mohair  in 
the  past  year  or  two,  due  to  the  fact  that  the  demand  is  for  finer 
fihered  hair  than  most  of  that  produced  in  South  Africa.  The 
production  of  mohair  has  grown  comparatively  slowly  in  South 
Africa  since  1888.  The  mohair  growers  were,  however,  more  pros- 
yterous  than  the  wool  growers  until  very  recently.  We  lack  knowl- 
c<lge  upon  which  to  base  a  guess  as  to  the  future  increase  of  pro- 
duction there,  l)ut  know  of  no  reason  which  will  operate  to  make 
the  increase  more  rapid  in  the  future  than  it  has  been  since  1888. 
The  United  States  is  the  only  country  in  which  the  increase  in 
the  production  of  mohair  is  likely  to  l)e  very  rapid  in  the  imme- 
diate future.  The  production  in  this  country  in  1900  was  about 
the  same  as  it  w^as  in  South  Africa  in  1875.  If  production  in- 
creases as  fast  in  this  country  as  it  did  in  South  Africa  we  shall 
be  producing  over  5,000,000  poimds  in  1!)10.  In  view  of  the  pres- 
ent volume  of  mohair  produced  in  the  world  and  the  rate  at  which 
its  use  has  been  increasing,  an  increase  of  4,000,000  pounds  in 
the  production  in  the  United  States  in  ten  years  should  not  dis- 
turb the  market  or  injuriously  affect  prices.  It  is  possible  that 
the  increase  may  be  greater  than  4,000,000  pounds.  It  would  be 
possible  to  increase  the  production  in  ten  years  from  1,000,000 
to  10,000,000  pounds.  There  is  no  probability  of  such  an  in- 
csj-.'ase  and  it  would  not  be  desirable.  To  make  such  an  increase 
would  mean  no  improvement  in  the  average  quality  of  the  mohair 
produced  in  this  country. 

"There  is  already  too  much  low-grade  mohair  produced  both 
in  South  Africa  and  the  United  States,  but  the  conditions  are  not 
such  as  to  w^arrant  any  fear  of  overproduction  of  mohair  of  fine 
quality  for  many  years  to  come,  nor  is  it  likely  that  the  prices  of 
mohair  equal  in  quality  to  Turkish  will  average  lower  than  they 
have  been  during  the  past  four  or  five  years." 

If  a  moment's  thought  is  given  to  the  many  uses  to  which 
mohair  is  now  put  and  to  which  it  may  be  put  in  the  future,  it 
is  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  surplus  at  any  time.  It  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  mohair  has  a  field  all  its  own  in  most  respects, 
and  it  is  a  thrifty  competitor  in  some  other  fields.  Its  beauty  and 
durability  will  recommend  it  for  a  host  of  things  which  are  now 
made  of  w^ool  or  other  fil)er.  The  pages  devoted  to  mohair  and 
mohair  manufactures  are  full  of  reasons  why  there  is  not  likely 
to  be  an  overproduction.  The  most  essential  thing  at  this  time 
i?  to  have  mohair  divorced  from  the  caprices  of  fashion  and  be- 
come a  staple  on  the  market  as  distinct  as  wool  or  cotton. 


CHAPTER  V. 

BROWSING    AXD   PASTURAGE. 
Goat$«  Arc  Browsers  by  Nature. 

Goats  are  browsers  by  nature,  and  there  is  no  vegetation  which 
they  will  eat  in  preference  to  the  leaves  and  twigs  of  bushes.  This 
fact  establishes  them  at  once  as  an  intolerable  nuisance  in  the 
orchard  and  the  garden  or  any  other  place  where  desirable  shrub- 
bery may  be  growing,  but  it  was  this  characteristic  which  com- 
mended them  to  the  farmers  of  this  country  as  destroyers  of  use- 
less brushwood.  They  are  omnivorous  eaters  of  brushwood,  briers, 
and  weeds,  but  seem  to  be  careful  to  avoid  that  character  of  vege- 
tation which  other  kinds  of  live  stock  ])rpfer.  Every  leaf  and 
twig  within  their  reach  is  greedily  eaten,  even  to  most  of  the 
bushes  and  weeds  that  are  considered  poisonous  to  other  ruminants, 
while  a  remarkably  few  weeds  are  passed  by.  They  will  desert 
the  finest  clover  and  Ijlue  grass  for  such  an  outlay. 

As  Brushwood  Exterminators. 

A  patch  of  brushwood  which  may  ])e  so  dense  that  a  man  can 
not  get  through  it  will  soon  be  converted  into  an  open  wood  lot  if 
Angoras  are  permitted  to  operate  upon  it.  In  this  effort  to  get 
the  leaves  and  twigs,  they  will  stand  on  their  hind  feet  and  strip 
a  sapling  to  a  height  of  five  or  six  feet.  They  will  do  more  than 
that.  With  an  instinct  approaching  human  intelligence,  a  single 
animal  will  get  astride  a  small  sapling  and  ride  it  down  and  hold 
it  there  until  it  is  completely  stripped  of  leaves  and  twigs  by  as 
many  goats  as  may  be  able  to  get  at  it.  This  will  explain  why 
so  many  saplings  are  seen  whicli  are  stripped  to  a  greater  height 
than  any  goat  could  possibly  reach.  Oftentimes  they  will  strip 
the  bark  from  young  trees.  Their  habits  in  this  respect,  however, 
are  erratic.  Sometimes  they  will  run  among  the  saplings  for 
weeks  without  touching  tlie  l)nrk  of  a  single  one,  and  then,  as  if 
for  the  very  fun  of  the  work,  all  will  begin  some  morning  to  tear 
the  bark  off  most  vigorously. 

A  thousand  men  have  wondered  why  the  goat  had  not  been 
used  as  a  brush  exterminator  years  and  years  ago,  for  his  habits 
have  been  known  since  the  days  of  Abraham  and  even  before;  but 


ANGORA   GOAT  RAISING.  63 

ho  was  not  so  emplo^^ed,  and  when  ho  was  rccontl}'  brought  to  the 
front  as  an  economic  factor  he  was  hailed  as  a  "modern  discovery." 
The  credit  for  the  discovery  of  the  goat  as  an  economic  factor  in 
the  matter  of  destroying  brush  is  generally  conceded  to  Dr.  J.  R. 
Standley,  of  Iowa.  He  read  an  article  in  a  consular  report  con- 
cerning the  value  of  milch  goats  in  a  foreign  country,  but  the 
objection  was  made  that  they  destroyed  every  tree  and  shrub  with 
which  they  came  in  contact.  Instantly  the  thought  occurred  to 
him  that  the  characteristic  which  made  the  goat  a  nuisance  abroad 
M'ould  make  it  beneficial  on  his  large  tract  of  land  which  was  idle 
and  useless  because  of  its  dense  growth  of  underbrush.  Acting 
upon  the  thought,  he  Avent  into  Texas  and  secured  a  carload  of 
Angora  goats  and  turned  them  onto  his  land,  with  the  gratifying 
result,  now  duplicated  in  every  State  of  the  Union,  that  the  brush- 
wood had  met  a  master.  Upon  his  recommendation,  based  upon 
his  experience,  thousands  of  goats  were  taken  into  Iowa  for  clear- 
ing brush  land  some  time  before  they  were  seriously  considered 
elsewhere.  Dr.  Standley's  opinion  of  goats  as  brush  destroyers 
IS  given  herewith :  "Land  can  be  cleared  of  the  worst  brush  known 
to  this  country  for  a  little  less  than  nothing  by  Angora  goats. 
Some  one  asks  how.  Simply  this :  Angora  goats  will  pay  a  profit 
and  live  on  leaves  and  weeds,  leaving  the  land  cleaner  and  nicer 
than  can  be  done  in  any  other  w^ay.  Many  persons  have  the  idea 
that  goats  bark  the  trees  and  in  that  Avay  kill  thom.  They  also 
think  that  goats  wholly  eat  the  hazel  and  other  small  brush. 
There  is  nothing  in  this.  The  way  in  which  goats  kill  brush  is  by 
continually  cropping  the  leaves,  which  serve  as  the  lungs  of  the 
brush.  The  continued  cropping  of  the  leaves  makes  the  brush,  as 
It  were,  sick,  caused  by  lack  of  nourishment.  This  sickness  sinks 
to  the  very  extremity  of  the  roots,  thus  preventing  sprouting. 
Any  and  all  kinds  of  bushes  are  in  this  way  easily  killed.  Some 
kinds  of  brush  and  some  kinds  of  stumps  are,  of  course,  much 
harder  to  kill  than  others.  Many  varieties  are  entirely  killed  by 
one  summer's  trimming  of  the  leaves.  Almost  any  are  killed  by 
two  years'  trimming.  To  clear  the  worst  brush  do  not  cut  any- 
thing that  the  goats  can  reach  or  bend.  The  tallest  or  largest  is 
better  not  cut.  All  trees  and  saplings  should  be  cut  and  the  goats 
will  keep  all  the  sprouts  down.  If  stumps  are  allowed  to  sprout 
one  year  l)efore  the  goats  are  turned  in,  the  sprouts  need  not  be 
cut.  About  200  goats  for  40  acres  of  brush  will  in  two  or  three 
years  make  the  land  as  clean  as  a  garden.  If  the  pasture  has  only 
patches  of  brush,  turn  in  a  few  goats  and  it  will  make  more  grass 
for  other  stock  than  if  the  goats  were  not  in.  They  eat  very  little 
grass   when  they   can   get  leaves.     Goats  even   like   weeds   better 


64  ANCORA   GOAT  RAlllNG. 

tlum  grass.  In  clearing-  hrusli  land  in  the  old  way  by  gruh  and 
l)low  there  are  always  left  many  eyesores  in  the  way  of  brushy 
nooks  and  bends  and  steep  places  which  can  not  be  plowed. 

"There  are  millions  of  acres  of  land  in  nearly  every  State  in 
the  Union  which  might  be  much  more  than  doubled  in  value  by 
the  use  of  Angora  goats  at  no  cost  at  all.  Commence  and  count 
the  worth  of  your  land,  then  the  fencing,  and  see  if  you  can  afford 
to  leave  your  brush  land  so  nearly  worthless  for  all  time.  Then 
count  the  cost  of  grubbing  and  plowing,  if  indeed  such  land  is 
susceptible  to  the  plow.  Xo  man  can  afford  to  grub  and  plow 
brush  land  in  this  day  and  age  of  the  world  any  more  than  he  can 
afford  to  plant  a  large  field  of  corn  without  a  ])lanter.  In  hilly 
or  mountainous  portions  of  the  country  the  Angora  goat  can  be 
made  to  do  a  great  service  in  the  way  of  clearing  the  underbrush, 
when  the  land  will  bring  grass  after  the  brush  is  gone.  It  would 
surely  be  a  paying  business  to  buy  up  large  tracts  of  rough  land  in 
the  mountain  districts,  or  indeed  any  brush  land  in  the  United 
States,  and  clear  the  brush  and  set  in  grass.  Afterwards,  if  the 
owner  liked  other  stock  better,  he  might  dispense  with  the  An- 
goras. In  many  places  where  the  country  is  too  bare  to  furnish 
sheep  with  sufficient  feed  goats  will  do  exceedingly  well.  In  many 
places  where  leaves  are  ai)undant  and  there  is  scarcely  any  grass 
making  it  impossible  to  })rofitaljly  keep  sheep,  goats  will  do  ad- 
mirably." 

The  following  testimony  of  Prof.  C.  D.  Woods,  director  of 
the  ]\Iaine  Experiment  Station,  shows  what  the  Angoras  will  do  in 
that  part  of  New  England:  "In  May,  1902,  six  ewes,  one  buck, 
and  five  kids  were  put  in  an  acre  of  voung  woodland  of  a  mixed 
growth,  most  of  the  trees  being  three  to  six  inches  in  diameter. 
There  was  a  quite  thick  growth  of  underbrush.  The  small  under- 
brush of  birch,  ma])le,  hazel  bush,  etc.,  have  been  cleaned  up  so 
that  where  tliere  are  no  alders  or  evergreens  the  ground  under  the 
trees  is  as  clean  as  though  it  had  been  burned  over.  Sweet  fern 
they  do  not  like  very  well,  but  they  have  cleaned  all  of  the  hardback 
out  of  tliis  })iece.  Ferns  and  brakes  have  been  eaten  to  some  ex- 
tent. They  have  eaten  the  leaves  and  young  sprigs  of  bushes  in 
preference  to  grass.  Birches  two  inches  or  more  in  diameter  they 
have  not  injured,  but  they  have  stripped  the  bark  from  every 
maj)le.  Even  maple  trees  six  inches  in  diameter  have  been  thus 
killed.  We  have  found  them  to  be  fond  of  the  bark  of  apple  trees, 
even  eating  the  bark  from  old  trees. 

"To  clean  up  birch  or  evergreen  woodland,  they  have  proven 
very  effecti"e.  There  has  been  practically  no  cost  for  the  sum- 
mer's keeping.     The  twelve  goats  have  been  kept  without  other 


GC  ANGORA  GOAT   HAISJNG. 

food  on  one  acre  of  young  woodland.  Tlioy  have  required  no  care 
other  than  an  occasional  visit  to  sec  that  they  are  all  right  and  that 
they  have  water." 

Here  is  the  experience  of  another  Xew  England  gentleman, 
AV.  0.  Corning,  of  New  ililford,  Conn. :  "I  first  fenced  off  ten  acres 
with  American  wire  fence  thirty  inches  high,  and  no  goat  has  ever 
jumped  over  that  fence  yet.  I  also  built  a  shed  for  them  to  stay 
in  nights  and  rainy  days,  which  they  nightly  utilize,  and  at  any 
signs  of  a  shower  or  storm  they  march  into  that  shed  in  military 
precision,  and  when  the  storm  is  over  out  they  go  in  like  proces- 
sion to  resume  their  daily  task,  like  the  busy  bee.  On  the  10th  of 
May  these  goats  were  turned  into  this  lot  and  it  was  soon  evident 
that  it  would  be  but  a  short  time  before  they  would  need  a  fresh 
Held.  On  the  19th  of  June,  just  thirty-nine  days  after  turning 
the  goats  in,  I  had  to  cut  down  quite  a  lot  of  chestnut  trees  to 
give  them  leaves  to  feed  upon.  This  piece  of  land  looked  as  if  a 
cyclone  had  struck  it.  The  goats  broke  the  small  brush  down  and 
devoured  the  leaves  of  sumachs  eight  and  ten  feet  high.  Grass 
soon  began  to  grow,  and  the  present  indications  are  that  next  year  a 
fine  crop  of  grass  will  grow  where  before  it  has  been  almost  bar- 
ren, now  fertilized  by  these  goats. 

"The  work  they  have  done  is  beyond  my  oxj)eetations.  aiul  what 
has  been  said  about  their  efficiency  as  brush  or  land  ilciuu'vs  that 
I  have  read  or  heard  has  not  been  overdrawn. "" 

Now,  let  us  have  another  testimony,  this  one  from  Hon.  James 
S.  Hogg,  ex-Governor  of  Texas,  who  had  a  flock  of  104  head  when 
he  made  this  statement:  "Goats  have  a  predilection  for  desserts 
very  much  like  the  human  race,  but  I  never  discovered  this  until 
I  made  this  recent  purchase.  My  goats  go  out  in  the  morning  and 
feast  on  briers,  young  saplings,  cacti,  and  other  substantial  food 
products  until  about  noon,  when  they  turn  their  attention  to  this 
gear's  growth  of  limbs,  including  leaves,  where  they  cut  six  or 
seven  wide  swaths,  then  along  about  eventide  they  finish  up  on 
about  104  saucers  of  poison  oak  leaves.  They  arranged  the  bill  of 
fare  to  suit  themselves  and  manifested  no  desire  for  a  change. 
They  are  perfectly  willing  to  work  for  their  board  and  give  me 
their  clothes.     They  are  doing  good  work,  too." 

A.  Kemljle,  of  Muscatine,  Iowa,  was  the  gentleman  who  readilv 
j)aid  $1,400  for  the  sweepstakes  buck  at  the  Kansas  City  exhibit 
in  1902,  and  thousands  have  questioned  his  business  judgment  if 
not  his  sanity ;  but  the  gentleman  knew  what  he  was  about,  for  he 
was  already  a  goat  raiser,  and  he  knew  their  value.  The  following 
are  some  of  his  remarks  after  he  ])urehased  Aztec,  the  prize  buck 
mentioned  above:  "Last  IMarcb  my  sons  came  into  possession  of 


r^m 


FOUR  FAMOUS  ANGORAS. 
Bred  by  D.  (*.  Taylor  &  Son,  Lake  Valley,  New  Mexico.    No.  I.  Toltcc;  No.  2.  Monte- 
zuma; No.  3,  Champion  Aztec;  No.  4,  Andy  Jackson. 


68  ANGORA   UOAT   RAISING. 

the  Daniel  Hayes  ranch  over  in  Illinois.  The  ranch  consisted  of 
about  1,200  acres.  Something  like  500  acres  was  in  cultivation, 
hut  the  other  700  was  underbrush  and  land  hardly  fit  for  pasture. 
I  undertook  the  supervision  of  the  property,  and  the  first  thing 
I  tried  to  do  was  to  put  as  much  of  it  as  possible  under  cultiva- 
tion. I  tried  all  sorts  of  schemes  to  rid  the  land  of  the  brush 
and  clean  it  up,  but  by  far  the  best  and  surest  remedy  was  the 
Angora  goat  scheme.  Last  May  I  bought  240  head  and  they  cleared 
100  acres  in  a  short  time  and  left  a  fine  growth  of  blue  grass 
and  clover.  In  another  year  what  was  once  a  tangled  wilderness 
filled  witli  wolves,  snakes,  and  the  like,  will  be  the  finest  pasture 
land  in  the  country." 

The  curse  of  the  valuable  lands  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands  is  a 
shrub,  or  small  tree,  known  as  lantana.  The  question  with  the 
residents  is  an  important  one,  as  to  how  to  eradicate  it.  The 
writer  has  several  times  been  asked  whether  goats  would  not  de- 
stroy this  shrub  as  well  as  others  in  tlie  States,  but  it  is  only 
recently  that  he  has  seen  a  statement  by  a  native  Hawaiian  that 
goats  had  been  known  to  destroy  this  plant  utterly  and  he  rec- 
ommended that  they  be  employed  in  large  numbers  for  the  pur- 
pose. It  is  believed  they  will  save  75  per  cent  of  the  present  cost 
of  clearing  the  land.  It  seems  they  are  trying  so-called  "scientific 
methods"  there  by  attempting  to  destroy  lantana  by  parasitic  in- 
sects. The  employment  of  goats  may  not  be  so  scientific,  but  it 
would  certainly  be  more  rational,  with  every  chance  of  better 
success. 

Morris  Lewis,  of  Ottawa,  111.,  has  quite  recently  published  the 
following  statement:  "In  the  spring  of  1901  I  fenced  47  acres 
of  the  heaviest  brush  I  ever  saw.  This  land  is  three  miles  from 
Belleville,  111.  I  used  27-inch  woven-wire  fencing  with  two 
barbed  wires  on  top.  On  this  47  acres  I  put  175  Angora  wethers. 
In  the  fall  of  1901  I  sold  100  of  the  wethers  and  wintered  the 
rest  on  corn  fodder,  feeding  it  on  the  ground,  the  goats  having 
the  run  of  the  47  acres  and  access  to  a  warm,  dry  shed.  I  sheared 
the  first  of  April  and  the  mohair  more  than  paid  the  expense  of 
wintering.  Last  spring  (^larch,  1902)  I  sowed  timothy  and  clo- 
ver over  this  land  and  I  did  not  see  the  land  again  until  October, 
when  I  went  to  Belleville  to  see  what  condition  the  land  was  in. 
There  is  not  a  live  bush  or  shrub  on  the  tract  and  there  is  a 
complete  stand  of  timothy  and  clover.  I  find  that  I  will  need 
the  goats  no  longer.  In  the  spring  I  will  put  cattle  on  this  land 
and  will  continue  to  use  it  in  this  way  until  the  stumps  are  rotted 
out,  when  the  land  will  be  put  in  co"n.     A  lady  whose  land  ad- 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING.  69 

joins  this  pasture  was  so  well  pleased  with  the  result  that  she  put 
in  a  load  of  goats  last  spring. 

"Hereafter  I  will  keep  only  a  few  purebred  goats  to  keep  down 
any  sprouts  and  to  eat  the  weeds  along  the  fence  lines.  Good 
goats  pay  well." 

The  suggestion  contained  in  the  following  from  H.  T.  Fuchs, 
]\Iarble  Falls,  Tex.,  should  be  of  value  on  thousands  of  farms 
where  the  cocklebur  has  almost  gained  the  mastery:  "A  few  years 
ago  the  Colorado  River  washed  away  a  great  deal  of  my  field  fence 
find  covered  the  bottom  land  wi+h  cockleburs  all  along  the  river. 
It  looked  like  a  forest  of  cockleburs.  To  save  the  crop  I  had  to 
build  a  new  fence,  joining  the  river  on  the  upper  side  of  the  field, 
so  that  goats  could  not  keep  down  the  weeds  along  the  river  inside 
of  the  field,  but  they  kept  all  the  cockleburs  eaten  up  clean  so  far 
as  they  could  go.  Last  winter  I  hired  help  to  beat  down  the  ripe 
cockleburs  from  the  dead  bushes  inside  the  field  and  built  a  new 
fence  of  eight  wires  parallel  with  the  river  and  opened  the  whole 
bottom  to  the  goats  this  spring  after  shearing.  At  that  time  the 
cockleburs  and  elder  bushes  had  entirely  covered  the  entire  bottom 
for  the  distance  of  a  mile,  and  it  looked  like  the  goats  would  get 
lost  in  there,  but  after  about  two  months  I  had  the  great  pleasure 
to  see  that  the  bottom  was  as  clean  from  cockleburs  and  elder  as 
pecan  gatherers  may  wish  for." 

At  this  time  there  might  be  added  to  the  testimony  of  these 
gentlemen  that  of  every  one  who  has  used  goats  for  the  same 
purpose;  but,  because  of  this  unanimity  of  sentiment,  it  is  not 
deemed  necessary  to  produce  more  testimony  here.  It  is  strange, 
however,  that  statements  of  this  habit  of  the  Angora  goat  are  the 
most  difficult  for  people  to  accept.  They  believe  it  is  beautiful, 
that  it  gives  nutritious  milk,  that  it  is  good  to  eat  by  those  who 
have  no  scruples  about  the  matter,  and  that  its  fleece  is  worked 
up  into  fabrics  the  most  beautiful  and  durable ;.  but  when  it  is 
told  how  they  will  convert  a  wilderness  into  a  rich  pasture,  doubt 
takes  possession.  Doubters  may  be  assured  that  the  testimony 
of  the  gentlemen  who  are  qouted  above  is  that  of  thousands  of 
others  at  this  time,  and  evidences  in  the  way  of  the  cleared  land 
itself  may  now  be  seen  in  every  State. 

In  those  localities  where  valuable  land  is  completely  subdued 
by  brushwood  the  goats  are  considered  of  more  value  for  the  pur- 
pose of  clearing  it  than  for  their  mohair  or  meat.  Thus  they 
become  a  most  important  tool  to  the  farmer.  Their  value  in  this 
respect  must  be  measured  by  the  value  of  the  land  which  they  ren- 
der cultivable.  In  Oregon  it  has  been  estimated  that  the  average 
cost  of  clearing  the  brush  land  was  $20  per  acre;  the  goats  have 


70  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

done  bettor  work  and  "hoarded  themselves."  In  southern  Ohio, 
in  Maryland,  West  Virginia,  and  Virginia,  and  probably  in  the 
Carolinas  as  well,  the  cost  of  clearing  away  the  brush  is  about 
$12  per  acre;  the  goats  do  it  for  nothing.  Apparently  the  goats 
require  mere  time  to  make  a  perfect  job  than  men,  but  it  is  only 
apparent ;  their  work  is  better  done,  and  they  enrich  the  soil  from 
the  day  they  first  set  hoof  upon  it.  Sprouts  spring  up  behind  the 
grubbing  hoe  to  torment  the  farmer  year  after  year. 

The  work  of  clearing  land  may  be  hastened  if  the  trees  which 
are  too  large  for  the  goats  to  manage  are  felled  with  the  ax.  It 
is  a  real  pleasure  to  see  a  flock  of  goats  pounce  upon  a  tree  just 
cut  down;  they  enjoy  the  tops  so  much  that  oftentimes  they  will 
interfere  with  the  chopper  while  waiting  for  the  tree  to  fall. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  defer  the  chopping  until  the  winter  season, 
for  two  reasons ;  it  is,  first,  the  most  convenient  time  for  the  farmer 
to  do  this  work ;  and,  second,  it  affords  the  goats  a  supply  of 
browse  at  a  time  wlien  they  need  it  most. 

Brusiliwood  as  Permanent  Pasturage. 

The  inherent  tendency  of  goats  to  climb  leads  them  to  hill- 
sides and  rocky  cliffs,  and  they  prefer  such  situations  to  any  of 
a  level  character.  Here  nature  meets  their  necessities  by  dwarf- 
ing the  bushes  so  they  may  be  browsed  easily;  the  soil  is  quickly 
drained  when  there  is  rain ;  and  the  stones  serve  to  keep  the  feet 
trimmed  properly  by  the  wearing  process.  This  is  the  situation 
that  the  goats  would  choose  for  themselves,  but  the  farmer  in  most 
cases  prefers  to  confine  their  operations  upon  land  that  will  be 
more  profitable  after  it  is  cleared. 

There  are  in  the  United  States  millions  of  acres  of  brush  land 
which  could  be  made  suitable  for  little  else  than  goat  raising. 
It  is  desirable,  then,  that  such  brushwood  should  not  be  browsed 
to  death,  but  be  so  manipulated  as  to  provide  feed  for  the  goats 
year  after  year.  The  way  to  do  this  is  not  difficult.  One  method 
would  be  not  to  overpasture  the  land,  permitting  the  brush  to 
grow  as  fast  as  it  is  consumed.  Another  practice  would  be  to 
pasture  one  field  every  three  or  four  years  only.  As  brush  must 
1)6  subdued  continuously  for  two  or  three  years  in  order  to  kill 
the  roots,  the  sprouts  will  grow  vigorously  after  one  year  of 
browsing  if  the  goats  are  taken  away.  There  are  so  many  more 
acres,  however,  which  when  cleared  will  make  the  richest  pas- 
turage and  cultivable  land,  it  is  not  at  all  probable  that  there 
will  be  any  considerable  interest  manifested  in  maintaining  brush- 
wood for  goat  feed. 

The   kinds   of   brush   and    weeds   wliicli   goats    will    feed    upon 


72  ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

cover  pretty  nearly  every  variety  of  xejietation.  They  are  not 
fond  of  hickory  and  alder,  3^et  there  are  instances  where  they  have 
eaten  the  latter  with  apparent  greediness.  Pine  is  not  a  regular 
diet,  yet  they  will  eat  much  of  it  during  the  year.  The  broom 
sedge,  which  is  such  a  nuisance  in  fields  in  ]\Iaryland  and  the 
Virginias,  and  which  will  not  be  touched  by  other  live  stock,  is 
a  favorite  feed  with  goats  if  they  can  have  it  as  it  grows;  and 
this  is  one  grass  which  they  like  to  mix  with  their  browse. 

One  Year  of  Clouting  IVot  Siiflieieiit. 

It  must  not  be  understood  that  a  piece  of  land  so  cleared  is 
ready  for  pasturage  or  the  plow  after  the  first  year.  Nature  is 
not  so  easily  subdued.  Most  shrubs  will  start  anew  from  the  roots 
and  therefore  the  goats  should  have  the  run  of  the  woodlot,  for  at 
least  a  part  of  the  time,  during  two  or  three  years,  if  the  purpose 
is  to  convert  the  land  into  pasture  or  to  cultivate  it.  The  goats 
regard  these  young  sprouts  as  the  most  delicate  morsels  and  not 
one  will  be  permitted  to  grow.  The  result  is  that  all  shrubbery 
will  soon  give  over  the  battle  and  blue  grass,  if  the  section  is  one 
where  blue  grass  is  indigenous,  will  rapidly  follow.  Let  the  im- 
portant fact  be  mentioned  here  incidentally  that  during  the  time 
the  goats  have  been  upon  such  a  piece  of  land  they  have  deposited 
very  evenly  upon  it  a  large  amount  of  the  richest  kind  of  manure. 
This  aids  the  grass  in  its  efforts  to  establish  itself. 

Soiue  Objectionable  Features  of  Brussli^vood, 

The  statement  has  been  reiterated  over  and  over  by  the  news- 
papers, in  mentioning  the  spread  of  the  Angora  goat  industry, 
that  these  goats  will  eat  all  kinds  of  poisonous  plants  without  any 
harmful  results.  While  there  is  much  evidence  pointing  to  this 
conclusion,  it  ought  not  to  be  taken  as  a  settled  fact.  If  ex- 
periments were  undertaken  it  might  be  shown  that  a  plant  which  is 
poisonous  to  sheep  or  cattle  is  also  injurious  to  goats.  It  is  ob- 
served that  goats  feed  u])on  brushwood  by  snipping  off  a  leaf 
here  and  there — from  a  ])iiic  here  iind  a  cedar  there,  a  grass  blade 
here  and  a  weed  top  thoic,  and  so  on  ;  they  do  not,  like  the  sheep 
or  cow,  eat  a  weed  entirely  or  strip  a  bush  clean  before  passing 
on.  The  result  is  that  the  goat's  stomach  is  filled  with  a  great 
variety  of  food  and  not  imuh  of  any  one  kind.  If  ])y  chance  a  few 
poisonous  leaves  arc  calcn,  they  are  probably  neutralized  by  the 
large  quantity  of  other  food  eaten. 

Upon  a  farm  in  Pennsylvania  there  was  a  patch  of  laurel  where 
goats  had  passed  it  l)y  during  the  whole  season,  'i'his  was  evi- 
dence that  thev  knew  it  was  ikiI  good  for  tbciii.     Later  in  the  sea- 


ANGORAS  ON   EDGEWOOD   STOCK   FARM.  MENDON,  ILL. 
Property  of  Geo.  H.  Baldwin. 


74  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

SOU  several  hundred  goats  were  turned  into  that  same  pasture 
after  a  long  journey  and  when  they  were  very  hungry.  The  laurel 
patch  was  the  only  green  food  in  sight  and  they  ate  of  it  greedily. 
The  next  morning  found  300  of  them  very  sick  and  50  dead.  What 
haa  proved  harmless  to  the  goats  that  had  been  there  when  there 
was  an  abundance  of  other  feed  proved  exceedingly  poisonous  to 
the  hungry  newcomers. 

While  it  is  possible  that  goats  may  not  eat  laurel  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  be  injurious  if  placed  in  a  pasture  where  it  is  grow- 
ing with  other  browse,  it  can  not  be  considered  a  safe  practice. 
The  owner  of  the  Pennsylvania  farm  referred  to  found  it  to  be 
a  short  job  and  not  expensive  to  "snake"  out  his  laurel  patches 
with  a  team  and  log  chain.  So  brushwood  need  not  be  aban- 
doned because  there  are  patches  of  laurel  upon  it. 

The  laurel  best  known  is  the  narrow  leaf  variety  (Kalmia 
lat! folia).  According  to  Dr.  V.  K.  Chesnut,  the  Government  au- 
thority on  poisonous  plants,  this  species  "is  abundant  in  the  north- 
eastern section  of  the  United  States,  where  it  is  also  known  as 
sheep  laurel  and  lambkill.  The  leaves  contain  andromedotoxin, 
and  sheep  and  calves  are  quite  frequently  poisoned  by  eating 
them." 

The  greenbrier,  which  appears  to  have  a  wide  distribution  in 
the  United  States,  is  an  enemy  to  goat  raising;  not  that  it  is 
poisonous,  but  because  of  its  physical  character.  It  is  a  climbing 
shrub,  very  wiry,  and  well  covered  with  very  hard  and  tenacious 
thorns.  They  grow  in  clumps  and  to  great  length,  and  prefer- 
ably on  lowland  and  near  creeks  or  ponds.  It  is  a  very  easy 
matter  for  these  thorns  to  catch  in  the  fleece  and  hold  the  animal 
lust  until  it  dies.  No  goat  has  strength  sufficient  to  break  the 
shrub  and  the  thorns  do  not  give  way.  This  shrub  should  be  cut 
down  with  a  brush  scythe  and  burned  before  goats  are  permitted 
to  go  among  them.  Where  goats  have  had  access  to  greenbriers 
immediately  after  shearing,  when  there  is  no  fleece  to  catch  upon 
the  thorns,  they  have  destroyed  the  briers  by  eating  the  leaves 
and  by  girdling. 

It  is  probable  that  large  blackberry  briers  may  be  objection- 
able for  the  same  reason,  but  ordinarily  goats  will  destroy  them 
V  i^hout  much  difficulty.  If  goats  have  an  opportunity  to  get  at 
any  of  these  briers  as  they  are  putting  out  in  the  spring,  they 
will  not  permit  them  to  mature. 

Grass  Will  Follow  the  Goats. 

Reference  was  made  above  to  the  fact  that  blue  grass  often 
follows  where  goats  have  cleared  off  the  l)rusli  and  weeds.     This, 


76  ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

of  courgo,  is  not  because  the  goats  have  anything  to  do  \nth  the 
spread  of  blue  grass,  but  simply  because  their  work  gives  the 
grass  an  opportunity.  Other  grasses  native  to  the  locality  are 
apt  to  "come  in"  in  the  same  manner.  We  have  traveled  along 
our  country  roads  all  our  lives  and  seen  the  grass  growing  on  either 
side  better  than  anywhere  else  when  not  cultivated,  but  the  thought 
never  occurred  that  the  same  conditions  might  be  brought  to 
large  areas ;  yet,  all  the  grass  was  waiting  for  was  an  opportunity 
— waiting  for  the  brush  and  weeds  to  get  out  of  the  way.  The 
goats  attend  to  this  part  of  the  work.  The  grass  comes,  and 
comes  vigorously  if  the  soil  is  at  all  rich ;  and  if  the  goats  are 
still  on  the  land,  they  will  not  molest  it  if  they  can  find  browse. 

Goats  as  Grazers. 

^Yhile  it  is  true  that  goats  prefer  browse,  it  is  also  true  that 
they  will  subsist  nicely  upon  grass.  So  the  absence  of  brushwood 
need  not  deter  any  one  from  engaging  in  the  industry  if  other 
conditions  appear  to  warrant  the  venture.  Philo  Ogdcn,  of  Up- 
perlake,  Cal.,  who  is  a  successful  breeder  and  mohair  grower,  be- 
lieves in  grass  and  is  opposed  to  brush  as  a  food  for  producing 
mohair.  He  says:  "The  fact  is  that  as  the  brush  disappears  from 
my  range  the  fleeces  become  heavier,  with  less  wax,  or  gum,  and 
has  more  luster.  Fully  75  per  cent  of  the  young  stock  are  larger 
than  their  parents  and  shear  more  and  finer  hair." 

John  S.  Harris,  of  Salem,  Oreg.,  is  also  a  believer  in  grass  for 
goats.  He  maintains  that  the  fleece  grown  on  grass  is  superior 
in  almost  every  respect.  He  says  a  little  browse  will  do  no  in- 
jury, but  all  grass  as  feed  will  do  no  harm.  S.  S.  Brannin,  Silver, 
Mont.,  whose  goats  subsist  largely  upon  grass,  believes,  with  the 
greater  number  of  goat  men,  that  a  mixture  of  diet  is  the  best. 
He  savs  all  stock  become  very  fat  upon  the  gramma,  or  buffalo, 
grass  which  grows  there,  and  adds  this  interesting  note:  "I  have 
taken  over  20  pounds  of  rendered  tallow  out  of  one  three-year- 
old  wether  which  dressed  65  pounds." 

Browsing  Supplements  Feeding. 

Tho  ])rowsing  habits  of  goats  is  important  in  connection  with 
the  question  of  feeding.  In  some  places  they  obtain  enough 
browse  to  carry  them  through  the  winter.  This  is  especially  true 
in  the  Southwest,  where  there  is  so  great  an  abundance  of  live 
oak.  If  snow  is  on  the  ground,  or  for  other  reasons  the  goats 
are  deprived  of  opportunities  for  foraging,  the  trees  are  cut  down 
for  them.  They  pass  through  the  winter  in  good  condition  with 
little  other  feed.     WTierever  they  are  deprived  of  opportunities 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  7? 

for  browsing,  they  must  be  fed.  Browsing  saves  feed.  As  far 
north  as  Nevada,  C.  P.  Bailey's  goats  subsist  through  the  winter 
on  sagebrush, 

BroAVsing  Adds  Game  Flavor. 

It  is  noted  that  many  of  the  correspondents  heretofore  quo- 
ted state  that  it  is  the  browsing  of  the  Angora  that  gives  to  the 
meat  the  game  flavor,  thus  leading  some  to  name  the  meat  "Angora 
venison."  It  is  also  stated  that  when  deprived  of  browse  and  fed 
on  grass  and  grain,  the  game  flavor  disappears.  There  is  no  rea- 
son why  this  should  not  be  true,  for  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that 
flavor  may  not  only  be  fed  into  meat,  but  into  milk  and  eggs  as 
well. 

Common  Goats  as  Brtisli  Destroyers. 

The  fact  must  not  be  overlooked  that  the  brush-destroying 
habit  is  common  to  all  kinds  of  goats.  The  common  goats  will 
do  the  work  as  well  as  the  Angoras.  The  latter  are  employed  for 
the  purpose  because  they  are  more  plentiful  and  because  there  is 
profit  in  their  progeny  for  breeding  purposes,  their  mohair,  and 
their  meat.  There  are  many  common  goats  in  the  South  which 
might  be  employed  as  brush  destroyers,  especially  if  the  first  cost 
of  Angoras  is  considered  too  expensive.  In  southern  Florida, 
where  it  costs  $50  per  acre  to  clear  a  farm,  it  might  be  well  to  try 
the  common  goat,  for  the  location  is  probably  too  low  for  the 
Angoras  to  thrive  well. 

Pasturing  witli  Otiier  Stock. 

So  far  as  the  goats  themselves  are  concerned,  they  may  be 
kept  in  the  pastures  where  there  are  sheep,  cattle,  and  horses. 
Their  presence  is  in  no  way  obnoxious  to  any  of  these  animals. 
It  has  already  been  pointed  out  that  a  few  of  them  in  a  flock  of 
sheep  are  a  protection  against  dogs.  However,  it  is  not  best  for 
the  goats  that  they  be  kept  in  pastures  with  horses.  This  is  es- 
pecially important  if  there  are  kids,  as  the  horses  have  a  habit 
of  playfully  chasing  any  animal  that  is  not  large  enough  to  de- 
fend itself,  and  they  are  apt  to  strike  the  kids.  It  is  also  impor- 
tant that  the  kids  should  not  be  in  pasture  with  hogs,  which  are 
liable  to  eat  them ;  indeed,  the  grown  goats  are  apt  to  be  attacked 
by  the  hogs  if  they  should  be  disabled  from  any  cause. 

Number  of  Goats  to  an  Acre. 

This  is  a  question  frequently  asked,  but  certainly  no  thoughtful 
person  expects  a  definite  answer.     The  number  will  depend,  first. 


78  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

upon  the  object  in  pasturing  on  brush  land,  whether  it  is  to  kill 
the  brush  utterly  or  to  use  it  as  a  permanent  pasture ;  and  second, 
upon  the  quantity  of  feed  obtainable.  While  one  acre  might  be 
as  dense  as  a  jungle,  another  might  have  small  thickets  alterna- 
ting with  grass  plats.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  a  definite  answer 
can  not  be  given  to  this  question.  There  are  not  many  patches  of 
brushwood  so  dense  that  four  or  five  goats  to  the  acre  will  not 
level  it  during  one  season.  Ordinarily,  the  tendency  is  to  put  too 
many  goats  on  a  tract,  with  the  result  that  they  soon  get  into  a 
starving  condition.  They  must  not  be  expected  to  climb  trees  nor 
to  cat  the  boles  from  one  to  six  inches  in  diameter. 


CHAPTER  VI, 

MOHAIR   AND   MOHAIR   MANUFACTURES. 
Fleece  of  the  Angora  Goat. 

The  word  "moliair"  is  the  technical  name  for  the  fleece  of  the 
Angora  goat.  The  word  comes  to  us,  through  the  okl  French 
'"jnohere,"  from  the  Arabic  "mukhayyar,"  meaning  mohair  cloth. 
It  differs  from  the  wool  of  the  sheep  in  that  it  does  not  have  the 
felting  properties  of  the  latter.  The  felting  property  of  wool  is 
due  to  the  presenc-e  of  scales,  or  epithelia,  which  cover  the  fiber 
in  much  the  same  manner  that  scales  cover  fish.  It  is  the  felting 
property  of  wool  which  distinguishes  it  principally  from  other 
animal  fibers.  Mohair  is  a  hair  proper,  being  devoid  of  scales,  and 
so  is  not  successfully  used  alone  in  felt  goods. 

The  fleece  upon  the  goat  is  pure  white,  is  exceedingly  lustrous, 
and  grows  to  an  average  length  of  10  inches  annually.  It  hangs 
in  beautiful  wavy  curls,  or  ringlets,  from  all  parts  of  the  body, 
if  the  animal  is  of  the  best  breeding.  The  average  annual  pro- 
duction per  head  of  mohair  is  about  3  pounds.  The  grade  of  the 
goat  has  much  to  do  with  the  weight  of  the  fleece.  The  first  cross 
of  an  Angora  buck  upon  a  common  doe  gives  but  a  small  amount 
of  mohair,  but  the  increase  in  quantity  is  notable  as  the  crosses 
come  higher. 

According  to  tests  conducted  by  Dr.  William  i\IcMurtrie,  and 
published  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  in  1886, 
mohair  is  not  equal  to  wool  in  fineness,  but  in  strain  there  is  a 
difference  much  greater  than  would  be  suggested  by  the  larger 
fiber.  The  average  wool  fiber  in  these  tests  stood  a  strain  of  108.79 
grains,  while  the  average  mohair  fiber  stood  a  strain  of  295.11 
grains.  This  is  a  difference  of  186.32  grains — much  more  than 
double  the  strength  of  wool.  It  is  to  this  strength  of  fiber  that 
the  great  durability  of  mohair  goods  is  ascribed.  In  stretching 
qilality  there  is  but  a  slight  difference  between  mohair  and  wool. 
Dr.  McMurtrie  makes  the  point  in  discussing  wools  that  the  indi- 
vidual fibers  may  be  variable  in  size,  a  condition  brought  about, 
it  is  supposed,  by  sudden  changes  in  weather  or  feed,  or  by  ill 
health.  Dr.  McMurtrie's  remarks  on  this  question  are  applicable 
to  mohair,  and  so  are  copied  here  somewhat  extensively :  "In  the 


80  ANGORA   GOAT  RAISING. 

Study  of  the  wools  constituting  the  collection  under  present  exam- 
ination, one  can  not  avoid  being  struck  with  the  lack  of  what 
the  German  authorities  term  Evenness  Treue,  or  uniformity  in 
the  diameter  of  the  fiber  throughout  its  length;  and  this  property 
i^J  probal)ly  one  of  the  most  important,  if  it  does  not  even  stand 
first,  in  the  determination  of  the  commercial  and  industrial  value 
of  the  staple.  It  is  the  result  of  two  causes — the  one  atrophy 
of  the  fiber  at  certain  parts,  and  the  other  hypertrophy.  In  other 
words,  when  we  examine  a  sample  of  uneven  staple  with  the  mi- 
croscope, we  notice  a  greater  width  of  the  images  at  some  parts 
than  at  others,  and  these  variations  are  by  no  means  wanting  in 
interest,  nor  are  they  absent  in  many  of  the  animals  said  to  have 
received  excellent  care  and  feed.  In  some  cases  we  find  a  sudden 
contraction  of  the  fiber  at  certain  points  (atrophy)  and  this  is 
often  sufficient  to  give  the  edge  of  the  image  a  decidedly  notched 
appearance.  Tn  other  cases  the  contraction  is  more  gradual,  the 
l)rogressivc  diminution  of  the  width  of  the  image  extending  over 
a  greater  length  of  the  fiber.  In  the  enlargement,  however  (hyper- 
trophy), such  sharp  variations  do  not  obtain;  the  fiber  begins  to 
enlarge  at  a  certain  point,  and  the  enlargement  may  continue 
through  the  length  of  the  fiber  until  it  attains  a  diameter  even 
twice  as  great  as  at  other  parts.     *     *     * 

"Where  atrophies  occur  the  fiber  must  necessarily  be  weak 
ened,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  staples  in  which  the  atrophied 
fibers  occur  in  any  important  portion  must  interfere  with  the 
regular  passage  of  the  material  through  the  several  machines  and 
the  processes  of  the  factory.  In  both  cases,  therefore,  they  seri- 
ously impair  the  value  of  the  product,  and  it  behooves  growers 
to  look  to  the  causes  which  may  have  a  tendency  to  bring  them 
out.  What  these  causes  may  be  we  have  had  no  opi)ortunity  to 
determine,  but  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  bad  nutrition,  ex- 
posure, and  the  consequently  impaired  health  and  constitution 
are  the  more  prominent.  A  fevered  condition  of  the  system  prob- 
ably tends  to  check  normal  exercise  of  the  functions  of  the  skin, 
and  hence  the  growth  of  the  fiber  resulting  in  atrophy,  or  it  may 
have  the  contrary  effect  and  cause  hypertrophy.  *  *  *  We 
have  sufficient  evidence  to  show  that  when  animals  have  been 
well  fed  and  cared  for,  and  when  the  health  of  the  animal  has 
been  uniform,  such  deformities  in  the  fibers  do  not  exist.  And 
that  the  growth  of  the  wool  is  retarded,  or  at  least  that  the  diam- 
eter of  the  fiber  is  diminished  by  impaired  health  of  the  animal 
lb  well  illustrated  in  the  following  bit  of  our  own  experience. 
On  one  occasion  a  prominent  breeder  of  Merino  sheep  submitted 
a  sample  of  his  wool  for  the  determination  of  its  fineness.     By 


ANUORA   GOAT   RAISING.  8] 

the  system  of  measurement  followed  we  found  that  the  fibers 
were  finer  at  a  certain  part  or  point  in  their  development  than  at 
others,  and  by  simple  calculation  it  was  easy  to  determine  at 
what  part  of  the  season  the  finer  portion  of  the  staple  had  devel- 
oped. We  stated  that  at  that  season  the  animal  must  have  been 
in  ill  health,  and  this  was  afterward  confirmed  by  reference  to 
the  record  of  the  condition  of  the  different  individuals  of  the 
fiock  during  the  year.  And  it  further  illustrates  the  importance 
cf  great  care  in  the  management  of  sheep  and  the  value  of  protect- 
ing them  from  any  sudden  changes  and  from  the  inclemencies  of 
the  weather  in  general." 

All  mohair  has  a  luster  peculiarly  its  own,  but  this  is  much 
more  pronounced  in  some  fleeces  than  in  others.  That  having  the 
i)igher  luster,  other  qualities  being  equal,  commands  the  better 
price.  A  fleece  of  low  luster  indicates  a  goat  under  influence  of 
adverse  conditions — as  poor  breeding,  poor  feeding,  or  sickness. 
The  uninformed  often  express  the  opinion  that  this  luster  is  due 
to  oil  in  the  fleece,  but  this  is  erroneous.  Whatever  oil  there 
may  be  in  mohair  is  inside  the  individual  hairs,  and  not  on  the 
outside,  as  in  the  case  of  wool.  There  is  sometimes  a  gummy  sub- 
stance which  causes  a  fleece  to  become  badly  matted,  but  this 
is  not  due  to  oil  in  the  fleece.  A  mohair  fleece  may  be  washed, 
then  scoured,  and  then  steamed,  dyed,  and  worked  up  into  fabrics 
after  reaching  the  mills,  but  none  of  these  processes  removes 
anv  of  the  luster;  indeed,  all  of  them  operate  simply  to  inten- 
sify it. 

Two  or  three  3^ears  ago  the  mohair  producers  were  happy  in 
the  well-founded  hope  that  they  would,  within  a  few  years,  be 
able  to  produce  mohair  equal  to  that  grown  in  South  Africa,  and 
they  also  dared  to  indulge  the  hope  that  some  time  in  the  future 
ihey  might  be  able  to  equal  that  of  Asia  Minor;  but  they  were 
surprised  this  year  when  it  was  announced  that  there  were  even 
now  many  fleeces  equal  to  the  Turkish  product.  As  stated  in  a 
previous  chapter,  George  G.  Emery,  of  the  Sanford  Mills,  San- 
ford,  Me.,  showed  at  the  exhibit  of  the  American  Angt)ra  Goat 
Breeders'  Association  in  October,  1902,  two  fleeces  of  plush,  one 
made  from  American  mohair  and  the  other  from  Turkish.  They 
were  woven  alike  and  colored  alike,  and  it  was  simply  impossible 
for  any  one  to  distinguish  between  them. 

While  there  is  yet  but  a  small  quantity  of  such  excellent  mo- 
hair produced  in  the  United  States,  this  fact  shows  that  it  can 
be  grown  and  everybody  knows  the  American  energy  always  turns 
possibilities  into  facts. 


82  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

Fresenrc  of  Kemp  In  ITIobalr. 

It  is  a  fact  well  known  to  brcotlors  that  the  Angora  goat  has 
two  coats  of  hair.  The  outer  and  more  abundant  coat  is  the 
mohair,  while  the  under  coat  is  a  coarse,  chalky  white,  straight, 
HtifF  hair,  varying  in  length  from  one-half  to  4  inches.  This 
under  hair  is  known  by  the  name  of  kemp.  It  is  generally  believed 
to  be  the  relic  of  the  common  goat  blood  in  the  Angora,  for  it  is 
a  matter  of  history  that  the  Angora  flocks  of  the  United  States, 
as  well  as  those  of  Asia  Minor  and  South  Africa,  have  been  largely 
increased  by  crossing  upon  the  does  of  common  blood.  This  has 
been  done  to  such  an  extent,  indeed,  that  it  is  no  longer  contended 
that  there  remain  any  Angora  goats  of  absolutely  pure  blood. 
This  belief  in  pure  blood  is  based  upon  the  fact  that  the  first 
cross  of  an  Angora  upon  a  common  doe  yields  a  fleece  in  which 
kemp  largely  predominates,  and  that  as  the  crosses  become  higher 
the  quantity  of  kemps  grow  less.  That  point  has  not  yet  been 
reached,  however,  w^here  it  can  be  said  that  a  strain  has  been  pro- 
duced which  has  no  kemp  whatever,  although  a  few  breeders  in  this 
country  and  in  South  Africa  appear  to  have  very  nearly  reached 
that  very  desirable  result.  This  is  the  principal  end  to  which 
breeders  should  lend  their  best  efforts  at  this  time.  It  is  the 
most  difficult  quality  to  obtain.  Length,  strength,  fineness,  and 
luster  may  all  respond  readily  to  the  intelligence  of  the  breeder, 
but  kemp  is  stubborn.  The  hope  is  confidently  expressed  by  the 
best  breeders  that  a  strain  of  Angora  goats  will  yet  be  produced 
which  will  be  entirely  free  from  kemp. 

The  spirit  of  the  goat  men  who  meet  annually  in  Kansas  City 
in  attendance  upon  the  meetings  of  the  American  Angora  Goat 
Breeders'  Association,  shows  that  they  were  not  only  willing  but 
anxious  to  undertake  the  solution  of  this  problem.  While  all 
these  men  were  familiar  with  kemp  and  knew  that  it  was  a  dele- 
terious feature  of  mohair,  not  many  of  them  knew  before  these 
meetings  were  held  how  objectionable  it  really  is  to  the  manufac- 
turer and  consequently  how  much  it  tends  toward  keeping  the 
price  of  mohair  low. 

At  Kansas  City  the  mohair  producer  and  the  mohair  manu- 
facturer met  each  other  for  the  first  time  in  this  country.  The 
presence  of  both  being  in  the  interests  of  the  Angora  goat  indus- 
try. George  G.  Emery,  of  Sanford,  Me.,  addressed  the  Associa- 
tion on  several  occasions,  his  theme  each  time  bearing  upon  the 
quality  of  fiber  required  by  the  manufacturer.  lie  displayed  a 
large  assortment  of  goods,  using  them  to  supplement  his  argument 
concerning  the  uses  and  value  of  good  mohair  as  compared  with 
the  poorer  grades.     The  goat  men  showed  a  disposition  to  learn 


ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING.  83 

all  that  is  required  by  the  marmfaeturers  and  determined  to  re- 
double their  efforts  toward  a  higher  standard  for  their  flocks.  The 
large  price  of  $1,050  was  paid  for  the  buck  Columbia  Pasha  at 
the  Kansas  City  goat  show  in  1901  and  $1,400  for  Aztec  in  1902, 
principally  because  of  their  freedom  from  kemp.  It  is  true  that 
their  fleeces  were  fine  and  long  and  their  bodies  were  fully  cov- 
ered, but  the  appearance  of  the  animals  as  they  stood  in  the  pen 
(tJieir  size  and  carriage),  although  they  were  "good  lookers,"  had 
comparatively  little  weight  with  the  judges,  who  gave  to  them  the 
sweepstake  prize  as  the  best  bucks  of  all  ages  in  the  show. 

Why  Kemp  is  Objectionable. 

The  reason  why  kemp  is  objectionable  is  that  it  will  not  take 
the  dyes  used  for  mohair ;  the  only  effect  of  the  dyes  is  slightly  to 
discolor  the  kemp.  There  are  dyes,  it  is  true,  which  act  upon 
kemp,  but  they  have  no  effect  upon  mohair ;  and  the  best  efforts  put 
forth  have  not  yet  resulted  in  a  mixture  of  dyes  that  act  satis- 
factorily upon  both  mohair  and  kemp  at  the  same  time.  The 
only  solution,  therefore,  is  to  remove  kemp  from  fleeces  which 
enter  into  the  manufacture  of  fabrics  in  which  it  is  undesirable. 

Kemp  appears  in  its  worst  phase  in  plushes,  where  every  indi- 
vidual hair  shows  prominently.  Its  presence  here  is  much  more 
pronounced  than  when  in  the  fleece,  where  it  is  nearly  the  same 
color  of  the  mohair.  It  is  therefore  of  great  importance  that 
this  objectionable  substance  should  be  removed  from  the  fleeces. 
If  any  kemp  should  escape  the  eye  and  be  woven  into  the  plush 
fabric,  it  would  not  be  discovered  until  the  fabric  came  from 
the  dye,  for  it  must  be  remembered  that  mohair  plushes  are  woven 
"in  the  white,"  and  afterwards  (perhaps  several  months  or  a  year) 
are  dyed  according  to  instructions  to  fill  orders.  Kemp,  at  this 
stage  of  the  process,  becomes  an  expensive  proposition,  for  skillful 
hands  must  burl  out  every  fiber  of  it  as  well  as  every  other  bit  of 
foreign  substance.  In  the  cheaper  plushes,  such  as  are  largely 
used  in  street  cars,  there  is  a  considerable  quantity  of  kemp.  Much 
of  this  material  may  also  be  used  without  detriment  in  the  manu- 
facture of  rugs. 

The  problem  of  the  mohair  manufacturer  is  the  same  as  that 
of  the  mohair  grower — ^liow  to  get  rid  of  kemp;  and  the  burden 
of  his  meditations  is  to  devise  some  sort  of  machinery  that  will  do 
the  work  perfectly.  American  ingenuity  has  so  far  failed  to  in- 
vent such  a  machine ;  and  so  the  manufacturer  finds  it  necessary 
to  call  upon  the  breeder  to  produce  mohair  without  kemp.  The 
!-olution  of  the  problem,  therefore,  appears  to  be  with  the  breeder 
rather  than  the  manufacturer. 


84  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

But  tho  fact  remain^;  that  tlie  mills  must  get  rid  of  kcmp  in 
some  way,  and  the  device  which  they  use  for  the  purpose  is  a 
machine  which  combs  it  out ;  but  while  the  comb  is  removing 
the  kemp  it  removes  at  the  same  time  every  mohair  fiber  of  equal 
length  with  the  kemp.  This  means  that  if  the  mohair  going  into 
this  comb  has  kcmp  3  inches  long  all  mohair  fibers  up  to  3  inches 
in  length  must  go  out  with  it.  The  result  is  heavy  loss.  True, 
there  is  a  use  for  this  mixture  of  kemp  and  short  mohair,  as  hereto- 
fore stated,  in  the  manufacture  of  cheap  goods,  such  as  horse 
l)lankets  and  filling  for  carpets,  and  also  for  stuffing  saddles,  and 
it  has  a  value  ranging  from  7  to  probably  10  cents  i)er  pound. 
From  the  breeder's  standpoint  this  residue  from  the  combs  will 
bo  considered  as  a  loss,  and  he  must  figure  it  as  wastage.  This 
wastage  runs  from  5  to  40  per  cent.  It  is  eminently  proper  to 
quote  here  the  opinion  of  one  who  has  spent  many  years  in  fabri- 
cating mohair,  namely,  George  B.  Goodall,  of  Sanford,  Me.:  "A 
majority  of  the  mohair  growers  in  this  country  little  realize  how 
much  kemp  has  to  do  in  keeping  down  values  of  their  clips.  If 
they  conld  spend  a  few  hours  in  our  sorting  and  combing  rooms, 
the  lesson  learned  would  be  of  great  value  to  them — more  than 
could  be  obtained  by  reading.  In  watching  the  combs  at  work 
they  would  notice  some  making  5,  10,  or  13  per  cent  of  noil  or 
waste,  while  others  Avill  be  taking  out  30  or  40  per  cent.  Ask  the 
comber  the  reason  of  this,  and  he  will  reply  that  one  lot  has  a 
much  larger  amount  of  kemp  than  the  other.  One  fiber  of  kemp 
takes  out  five  or  six  good  fibers  which  should  go  into  yarn." 

The  thought  has  probably  already  occurred  to  the  breeder  that 
the  longer  the  kemp  the  greater  the  wastage.  But  how  can  kemp 
be  shortened?  is  the  question  of  importance  next  to  getting  rid 
of  it  altogether.  It  is  generally  accepted  as  a  fact  that  long  kemp 
is  evidence  that  the  animal  producing  it  is  bred  up  from  long- 
haired Mexican  does,  while  short  kemp  is  a  relic  of  short-haired 
does,  such  as  are  quite  common  in  suburbs  of  large  cities.  If  this 
be  true,  the  point  is  already  made  that,  in  building  up  a  flock 
from  common  does  as  the  foundation,  none  but  short-haired  ones 
should  be  used. 

Let  it  be  said  in  passing,  however,  that  there  are  so  many  thor- 
oughbred and  high-grade  Angoras  in  this  country  now  that  the 
reason  or  necessity  for  crossing  upon  common  goats  does  not  exist 
as  it  did  several  years  ago.  To  continue  the  practice  is  to  con- 
tinue the  injection  of  kemp  into  Angora  blood.  The  crossing  upon 
common  stock  has  been  done  with  tho  double  purpose  in  view  of 
increasing  the  flocks  more  rapidly  and  of  infusing  stronger  blood 
into  the  Angoras.     As  stated  above,  the  necessity  for  the  first  is 


GEO.  B.  GOODALL. 


g6  ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

probably  past ;  witli  regard  to  tlic  second,  it  can  be  said  that 
there  are  now  in  the  country  strains  of  Angoras  which  arc  as  hirge 
and  vigorous  as  any  common  goats  may  be.  These  might  be  used 
to  impart  constitution  to  tlie  delicate  flocks. 

Finally,  concerning  kcmp,  its  presence  in  mohair  is  not  ob- 
jectionable on  the  score  of  durability,  for  it  has  lasting  proper- 
ties, but  its  coarseness  and  its  inability  to  take  mohair  dyes  make 
it  undesirable. 

Durability  of  ITIoliair  Fabrics. 

The  dural)ility  of  mohair  and  mohair  manufactures  is  well 
known  to  those  who  are  familiar  with  their  use.  Statements 
which  to  some  may  seem  incredible  are  on  record,  but  there  is 
no  good  reason  to  doubt  their  accuracy.  S.  Holmes  Pegler,  author 
of  the  excellent  English  work,  "The  book  of  the  goat,"  states  that 
m  1881  the  Duke  of  Wellington  imported  a  half  dozen  Angoras 
from  the  Cape,  and  many  of  the  clothes  worn  by  the  duke  were 
from  the  fleeces  of  these  goats,  and  he  continues:  "I  myself  pos- 
sess an  overcoat  made  from  the  same  stuff,  presented  to  me  by 
his  Grace,  which  promises  to  be  everlasting  as  regards  wear."  Dr. 
James  B.  Davis,  who  first  introduced  Angoras  into  the  United 
States,  having  himself  brought  them  from  Asia  Minor,  says  in 
an  article  which  he  published  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  De- 
partment of  Agriculture  for  1853:  "I  have  socks  which  I  have 
worn  for  six  years  and  arc  yet  perfectly  sound."  A  friend  of  the 
writer  states  that  he  has  had  one  mohair  rug  at  his  office  door  for 
twelve  years,  and  it  does  not  yet  show  much  wear,  while  the  luster 
and  color  remain  as  distinct  as  when  new.  Ladies  who  have  worn 
mohair  crepons  and  brilliantines  arc  all  aware  of  the  wonderful 
durability  of  this  fiber. 

Strange  as  it  may  appear  upon  first  thought,  it  is  the  durability 
of  mohair  dress  goods  that  has  prevented  their  more  extensive 
use  heretofore.  The  first  cost  being  somewhat  high,  they  have  not 
generally  been  Avorn  by  people  whose  principal  aim  is  durability 
in  the  purchase  of  clothing.  They  have  been  subject  to  the  ca- 
prices of  fashion,  being  "all  the  style"  one  year  and  "out  of  style" 
the  next.  This  has  naturally  restricted  their  use  largely  to  that 
class  of  people  who  could  afford  to  discard  them  before  wearing 
them  out. 

Influence  of  Food  and  Care  ol'  Goats  on  Fiber. 

Any  wool  grower  knows  that  feed  and  care  have  a  very  great 
influence  upon  the  weight  and  fineness  of  the  fleece.  The  same 
iS  applicable  to  mohair  growing  as  well.    If  goats  are  exposed  to 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  87 

sudden  changes  of  weather,  the  effect  is  shown  in  the  fleece.  Un- 
der adverse  conditions  an  individual  mohair  will  show  contrac- 
tions, which  greatly  reduce  its  "stretch"  and  "strain."  This  point 
is  fully  covered  in  the  quotation  already  made  from  Dr.  William 
McMurtrie,  and  need  not  he  further  mentioned  here. 

John  S.  Harris,  one  of  the  early  breeders  of  Angora  goats, 
and  who  is  a  man  of  good  observation  and  rare  judgment,  says 
that  the  finest  and  evenest  mohair  is  from  goats  which  feed  upon 
grass.  He  says  that  brush  is  "pie"  to  goats,  and  a  little  pie  will  do 
no  harm,  l)ut  all  pie  is  not  good.  While  this  is  contrary  to  the 
opinion  of  most  breeders,  the  experience  of  one  who  has  so  long 
been  raising  goats  should  not  be  hastily  cast  aside. 

S.  C.  Cronwright  Schreincr  says:  "If  goats  are  to  produce  the 
best  fleeces  they  are  capable  of,  they  must  be  maintained  in  un- 
interrupted good  condition.  They  must  have  a  variety  of  food, 
principally  shrubs  and  aromatic  plants,  and  lead  an  active  life; 
tliey  must,  if  possible,  have  running  water  to  drink,  and  be  kept 
free  from  dust;  they  must  not  be  kraaled  (or  shedded)  except 
when  absolutely  necessary;  they  must  have  clean  sleeping  places, 
and  must  not  be  crowded  together. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  the  writer  that  the  many  important  points 
concerning  length,  strength,  and  flneness  of  fleeces  should  be  the 
subject  of  scientific  experimentation,  which  experimentation  should 
include  the  effects  of  feed  and  climate.  The  results  of  an  investi- 
gation of  this  character  would  answer  as  well  for  the  sheep  in- 
dustry of  our  country,  with  its  annual  wool  production  of  289,- 
000,000  pounds,  as  for  the  growing  mohair  industry,  for  the  same 
conditions  govern  with  both  fibers. 

Prices  of  Mohair. 

A  long  chapter  might  l)e  written  about  the  reputed  prices  ob- 
tained for  mohair  during  the  first  few  years  after  the  introduc- 
tion of  Angora  goats  into  this  country ;  but  as  there  were  no  mills 
in  this  country  at  that  time  which  were  able  to  fabricate  the 
fleeces,  and  as  the  quantity  of  mohair  produced  was  very  limited 
and  of  uncertain  quality,  and  as  there  appears  to  be  no  definite 
data  available  of  sales  made  at  the  enormous  prices  which  are 
sometimes  referred  to,  it  would  seem  that  no  useful  purpose  will 
be  subserved  by  discussing  the  prices  of  that  period.  Attention 
will  be  given,  therefore,  to  the  prices  of  the  present,  for  these 
are  the  prices  which  interest  the  mohair  growers  of  to-day. 

What  has  been  said  in  previous  paragraphs  about  varying  quali- 
ties of  mohair  has  no  doubt  suggested  the  thought  that  prices 
also  are  very  variable,  which  is  true.    It  is  not  the  qurlity  alone 


88  ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

which  affects  the  price,  hut  supply  and  domand,  which  affect  all 
articles  of  commerce,  play  a  very  important  part.  It  was  decreed 
l)y  Dame  Fashion  last  year,  for  instance,  that  mohair  dress  goods 
were  not  in  style,  and  the  effect  of  this  decree  was  to  reduce  the 
value  of  mohair.  Other  causes,  a  principal  one  of  which  was  a 
very  limited  demand  for  car  plush,  also  contributed  to  the  cause 
of  low  prices. 

To  give  a  brief  answer  to  the  question.  What  is  mohair  worth? 
is  not  possible.  There  are  more  grades  of  mohair  than  there  are 
of  wool,  and  there  has  so  far  been  no  effort  on  the  part  of  mohair 
producers  to  so  sort  their  fleeces  as  to  enable  them  to  receive  the 
highest  price  for  each  class,  but  they  have  been  content  to  sell 
it  in  one  mixed  lot.  This  always  tends  to  reduce  the  price  below 
its  real  worth,  because  the  purchaser,  not  knowing  exactly  what 
he  is  buying,  protects  himself  with  a  low  price.  The  features  that 
make  for  low  prices  are  shortness  and  coarseness  of  fiber  and  the 
presence  of  kemp,  burs,  and  dirt  of  all  kinds.  There  were  on 
exhibition  at  the  recent  Kansas  City  show  some  fleeces  which 
looked  as  if  they  might  have  been  raked  out  of  a  filthy  hog  pen; 
these  had  been  sold  at  7  cents  per  pound,  while  other  fleeces  in 
the  same  exhibit  were  worth  40  cents  per  pound. 

Probably  the  average  price  paid  for  mohair  during  the  season 
of  1901  was  about  25  cents  per  pound.  It  was  a  little  higher  in 
1902.  The  product  of  the  lower  crosses,  which  contains  a  large 
percentage  of  kemp,  brings  a  low  price  (10  to  15  cents),  while 
there  were  some  fleeces  that  brought  40  cents.  There  is  not  a 
large  quantity  of  this  latter  quality  of  hair  produced  in  this 
country,  for  the  reason  that  the  breeders  have  not  given  the  mat- 
ter proper  attention.  There  is  a  great  demand  for  the  better 
hair,  while  the  lower  grades,  which  enter  into  the  manufacture 
of  carpets  and  horse  blankets,  find  direct  competition  in  wool. 

In  this  connection  it  should  be  stated  that  the  coarsest  and 
longest  hair  is  just  now  bringing  very  high  prices.  L.  Levussove, 
of  New  York  City,  has  been  buying  all  of  this  kind  that  he  could 
secure,  paying  from  $1  to  $2  per  pound  for  it.  This  grade  of 
hair  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  wigs,  doll  hair,  etc.  How 
much  of  a  demand  there  may  be  for  thi.s  quality  of  hair  is  a  mat- 
ter difficult  to  determine,  but  at  this  time  Mr.  Levussove  can 
not  secure  an  ample  supjtly.  It  is  obvious  that  the  hair  must  be 
very  long. 

While  on  the  subject  of  prices  we  will  quote  from  a  recent 
address  by  George  G.  Emery,  of  Sanford  Mills,  Sanford,  Me. : 
"I  have  read  where  prices  as  high  as  45  cents  per  pound  have  been 
paid  this  season  for  domestic  mohair.     Now,   such   statements 


AMERICAN  MOHAIR. 
Slipey  ■'  hair  on  left.    Coarse  hair  next.    Then  Kood  hair. 


90 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 


should  be  followed  by  an  explanation,  otherwise  false  hopes  are 
apt  to  be  raised  in  the  minds  of  the  growers,  which  hopes,  in  my 
opinion,  are  not  to  be  realized.  I  can  take  any  bale  from  among 
the  hundreds  sent  us  yearly  from  the  State  of  Oregon  (and  the 
same  applies  to  the  twelve  monfhs'  growth  of  Texas  hair ;  in  fact, 
in  any  State  producing  mohair  to-day),  and  I  can  find  mohair 
which  is  worth  45  cents  per  pound  and  even  more,  but  the  per- 
centage of  the  low  grades,  worth  from  18  cents  to  20  cents,  is  so 
much  greater  and  so  far  overbalances  the  fine  as  to  bring  the 
value  as  a  lot  to  a  much  lower  figure.  I  have  seen  some  very 
choice  domestic  mohair,  but  the  amount  of  such  hair  is  very  small 
when  compared  with  the  total  production  of  the  country." 

Prices  in  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  have  ranged  about  the  same 
as  in  our  own  country. 

The  great  mohair  manufacturing  center  of  the  world  is  Brad- 
ford, England,  and  as  it  will  be  interesting  to  many  to  see  the 
prices  which  mohair  has  brought  in  that  city  during  a  long  series 
of  years,  the  following  table  is  prepared  from  data  compiled  from 
the  Bradford  Observer  by  the  National  Association  of  Wool  Manu- 
facturers : 


RANGE  OF  PBICES  OF  MOHAIR  AT  BRADFORD,    ENGLAND,   FROM    1856  TO 


Year. 

Cents. 

Year. 

Cents. 

Year. 

Cents. 

1Kt6 

48  to  56 

1869 

.86  to  88 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 

1891  

.  38  to  45 

1857 

56  to  66 

1870 

1871 

92  to  98 

78  to  84 

40  10  43 

1858 

60  to  72 

73 

37  to  45 

18-3 

1873 

82  to  90 

73  to  80 

28  to  36 

I860 

76 

23  to  33 

1861 

1862 

76 

73  to  78 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

70  to  90 

83  to  92 

86 

60  to  70 

60  to  66 

36  to  .54 

42  to  54 

38  to  42 

25  to  29 

■:4  to  28 

1863 

1864 

1865 

80  to  88 

78 

70 

25  to  42 

27  to  36 

24  to  28 

80 

1892 

1893 

1894 

24  to  29 

1867 

....  66  to  90 

24  to  37 

1868 

58  to  76 

27  to  31 

But  what  of  prices  in  the  future?  This  is  the  important  ques- 
tion with  the  breeder,  and  it  is  one  that  is  difficult  to  answer.  It 
seems  likely  that  there  will  be  an  increasing  demand  for  mohair 
in  the  classes  of  goods  which  now  consume  it,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  new  uses  that  may  be  developed ;  hence  it  may  be  expected  that 
the  demand  will  be  strong.  On  the  other  hand,  there  will  doubt- 
less be  an  increased  production,  which  will  have  a  tendency  to 
lower  the  price.  There  are  so  many  uses  for  mohair  already  estab- 
lished in  the  world  that  it  is  not  believed  that  prices  will  ever 
fail  to  a  level  with  wool.  One  prominent  manufacturer  of  mohair 
goods  expresses  the  opinion  that  the  "average  prices  paid  this 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  91 

year  (1901)  can  be  considered  as  low-water  mark."  This  was 
about  25  cents  a  pound,  as  stated  above. 

The  American  Wood  and  Cotton  Reporter  states  that  with  an 
increased  production  of  Angora  goats  in  this  country,  and  the 
consequently  enhirged  production  of  mohair,  the  hitter  is  going 
to  be  consumed  more  largely  than  heretofore,  and  is,  indeed,  al- 
ready "cutting  more  of  a  figure  in  the  wool  market." 

The  domestic  product  is  favored  by  a  tariff  of  13  cents  per 
pound  on  the  imported  article. 

moliair  Manufacturers. 

The  first  striking  feature  of  mohair  manufactures  is  their 
great  beauty.  The  luster  of  the  hair,  which  is  so  pronounced 
even  while  it  grows  upon  the  goat,  remains  in  the  manufactured 
goods,  and  no  amount  of  washing  and  no  character  of  dye  will 
remove  it.  It  aids  the  dyes  to  show  their  colors  more  effectively 
and  imparts  to  the  goods  the  pleasing  property  of  changing  shades 
in  shifting  lights,  which  is  a  feature  quite  characteristic  of  silk 
goods. 

A  second  feature  of  importance  is  that  the  dyes  are  usually 
fast,  and  however  much  such  goods  may  be  exposed  to  the  elements 
they  will  not  fade.  In  the  best  mills  fugitive  dyes  are  not  used 
except  when  an  order  is  received  to  match  a  sample  which  has 
been  treated  with  such  dyes ;  for  a  fugitive  dye  can  not  be  matched 
by  a  fast  one,  nor  can  a  fast  dye  serve  for  a  fugitive  one. 

The  durability  of  mohair  goods  has  been  quite  fully  discussed 
in  connection  with  the  durability  of  the  fiber  composing  them. 
It  is  a  characteristic  that  ought  to  make  their  use  economical  in 
many  ways.  This  should  be  the  case  especially  with  dress  goods 
and  other  wearing  apparel. 

Mohair  manufactures  already  have  a  very  extensive  use,  but 
they  appear  in  the  stores  under  so  many  trade  names  that  only 
a  few  people,  comparatively,  know  that  they  are  the  product  of 
the  Angora  fleece.  These  manufactures  are  so  varied,  and  the 
fiber  adapted  to  so  many  things  which  are  now  made  of  wool  or 
cotton,  that  no  attempt  will  be  made  here  to  give  a  complete  list 
of  them,  but  a  recital  of  some  of  the  principal  uses  of  mohair 
goods  will  be  made,  in  order  that  it  may  become  generally  known 
how  extensive  is  their  use  at  the  present  time,  and  some  idea 
formed  of  the  possibility  of  extending  the  use  of  mohair  to  other 
lines  of  manufacture. 

By  far  the  most  important  ])roduct  of  mohair  manufacture  is 
plushes.  It  is  a  fact  not  generally  known  that  practically  all  of 
the  plushes  used  in  railroad  passenger  cars  are  made  of  mohair; 


1,2  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

SO  calso  arc  the  plnshos  used  in  strc-et  cars.  How  much  is  used 
annually  in  the  pasenger  cars  of  our  country  can  only  be  con- 
jectured. The  report  of  the  Interstate  Commerce  Commission 
for  the  fiscal  year  of  1899  shows  that  there  was  an  increase  of 
244:  cars  over  the  previous  year;  let  us  add  to  this  a  number  suf- 
ficient to  take  the  place  of  those  worn  out,  which  proI)alily  can  not 
be  less  than  200,  thus  giving  a  total  of  444  new  passenger  coaches 
each  year.  Each  coach  requires  at  least  120  yards  of  plush,  and 
the  total  quantity  required  for  the  444  cars  would  Ixi  53,280  yards. 
This  is  an  underestimate  rather  than  an  overestimate.  During 
the  year  mentioned  there  were  in  service  in  the  United  States 
16,785  first-class  passenger  cars,  3,063  second-class  cars,  4,206 
combination  cars,  464  parlor  cars,  and  488  sleeping  cars — total, 
25,006.  This  means  that  there  were  in  use  that  year  3,000,720 
yards  of  plush.  Add  to  this  all  that  is  used  in  street  cars,  omni- 
buses, etc.,  for  which  there  is  no  basis  for  an  estimate,  and  we 
may  conclude  that  its  use  for  such  purposes  is  enormous. 

Besides  the  car  plushes,  which  are  usually  plain,  largo  quan- 
tities of  frieze  and  crush  plushes  are  used  in  upholstering  furni- 
ture. The  designs  for  the  frieze  plushes  are  limited  only  by  the 
ingenuity  of  man.  The  skill  of  the  fabricator  is  so  well  developed 
that  the  threads  forming  the  designs  are  in  loops  and  of  different 
color,  yet  the  whole  is  woven  at  one  time  "in  the  white"  and 
afterwards  colored  in  the  same  dye.  The  crush  plushes  are  very 
handsome,  showing  to  best  advantage  the  effects  of  varying  lights 
upon  solid  colors.  This  kind  is  largely  utilized  in  upholstering 
armchairs,  but  finds  large  use  also  in  other  kinds  of  furniture. 
The  carriage  robes,  couch  covers,  sofa-pillow  covers,  and  rugs  are 
distinguished  by  their  high  pile  and  rich  coloring.  The  pile  upon 
the  carriage  robes  and  sofa-pillow  covers  is  about  half  an  inch 
high.  The  robes  sometimes  have  the  pile  on  one  side  only,  but 
many  are  m.ade  with  the  pile  on  both  sides.  The  coloring  is 
most  exquisite,  as  is  true  of  the  sofa-pillow  covers  and  couch 
covers.  These  colors  are  printed  on  by  hand  after  the  pieces  are 
woven,  and  are  rendered  indelible  liy  long  steaming.  Rugs  neces- 
sarily require  more  modest  covering,  but  all  the  richness  of  sub- 
dued colors  and  luster  remain  to  make  them  a  distinctly  beautiful 
as  well  as  useful  ornament.  These  goods  have  not  long  been  upon 
the  market,  but  they  can  hardly  fail  to  attract  attention  and  ad- 
vance in  favor. 

Most  of  the  so-called  astrakhan  now  in  use  so  extensively  is 
made  of  mohair.  It  has  all  the  ])eauty  of  the  real  article,  is  much 
inorc  durable,  will  never  change  its  shade  in  sunlight  or  air,  and 
is  in  no  manner  inferior  to  real  astrakhan. 


TURKISH   KID   FLEECE. 


94  ANUORA   CJOAT   RAISING. 

Plain  moliair  dress  goods  (brilliantines)  and  mohair  crepons 
arc  common  and  well  known  for  their  durability.  There  is  no 
other  kind  of  cloth  which  is  more  easily  cleaned  or  which  retains 
its  newness  for  a  longer  period.  For  this  reason  brilliantines  are 
especially  popular  for  traveling  dresses.  !Mohair  crepons  are  more 
beautiful,  but  also  more  expensive,  costing  from  $1.25  to  $5  a  yard. 
The  cheaper  grades  arc  woven  upon  a  cotton  base,  and  go  to  pieces 
sooner  than  when  woven  upon  a  wool  base.  In  crepons  there  is 
sometimes  an  admixture  of  silk. 

It  would  be  very  dillicult  to  enumerate  the  many  ways  that 
mohair  might  be  used  in  manufactures.  Besides  plushes,  which 
form  the  principal  item,  there  may  be  mentioned  dress  goods  of 
various  designs,  coats  and  coat  lining,  table  covers,  knit  mits, 
mittens,  gloves,  etc.,  which  are  already  on  the  market.  It  has 
been  found  that  mohair  cloth  is  the  only  kind  that  will  stand  the 
strain  in  the  exprcssment  of  cottonseed  oil,  and  there  is  a  grow- 
ing demand  for  it  for  this  purpose.  A  suggestion  has  recently 
been  made  that  mohair  could  be  manufactured  into  tent  and  sail 
cloth  and  rain  coats,  having  as  its  qualification  durability,  light- 
ness in  weight,  and  immunity  from  molding.  Mohair  cloth  will 
not  only  turn  water,  but  Avill  hold  water  like  a  skin  if  the  water 
is  not  beaten  through  it.  A  piece  of  brilliantine  in  tlie  form 
of  a  bag  and  holding  a  glass  full  of  water  has  l)een  known  to  hang 
all  day  and  not  a  drop  passed  through  it  during  that  time.  John 
S.  Harris  recently  informed  the  writer  that  he  possessed  mohair 
cloth  40  years  of  age  which  would  hold  water  in  the  same  manner. 
Tent  and  sail  cloths  would  necessarily  be  heavier,  and  be  even 
more  effective  in  turning  water.  It  is  argued  that  the  extra  cost 
of  this  kind  of  cloth  for  these  purposes  is  more  than  compensated 
for  in  the  matter  of  durability  and  lightness  of  weight. 

History  of  Plush  manufacture  In  the  I'nitcd  States. 

Prior  to  the  year  1881  practically  all  of  the  plushes  which 
were  used  in  the  United  States  were  imported  from  two  countries 
— France  and  Germany;  and  in  no  one  plant  in  either  of  these 
countries  was  the  process  of  manufacture  carried  on  from  start  to 
finish.  The  merchant  imported  his  mohair  yarns  from  England. 
This  yarn  was  made  up  into  warps  and  sent  to  a  house  which 
contained  one,  two,  or  more  hand  looms,  and  woven  into  the  fabric; 
generally  the  head  of  the  house  had  a  son  or  daughter  who  assisted 
him,  he  throwing  the  shuttle  and  beating  up  the  loom,  while  the 
child  pulled  out  the  wires.  The  production  was  from  2  to  3  yards 
a  day,  working  from  fourteen  to  fifteen  hours.  After  a  cut,  say 
40  3^ards,  arc  woven,  it  was  tlicn  taken  by  the  weaver  to  the  ware- 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  95 

houpe  of  the  merchant,  who  sent  it  to  a  dyeing  and  finishing  estab- 
lishment, after  which  it  was  ready  for  the  market. 

It  is  only  within  a  very  short  time  that  in  France  and  Ger- 
many these  goods  have  been  manufactured  on  power  looms  in 
special  factories,  and  even  to-day  the  mohair  yarn  is  all  made  in 
England,  but  the  plants,  instead  of  distributing  the  yarn  as  here- 
tofore, now  take  it  into  their  own  factories,  where  it  is  woven, 
dyed,  and  finished. 

George  B.  Goodall  was  the  projector  of  the  mohair  plush  in- 
dustry in  Sanford,  ^le.  He  began  experimenting  in  1881,  and 
with  his  own  hands  placed  the  first  mohair  warp  in  a  wire-power 
loom,  and  it  was  he  who  wove  the  first  piece  of  plush.  As  soon 
as  he  had  demonstrated  that  mohair  plush  could  be  made  on  a 
power  loom,  a  company,  composed  of  the  three  brothers — George, 
Louis,  and  Ernest  Goodall — was  organized  for  the  purpose  of 
entering  upon  this  manufacture.  A  first-class  inventor  was  con- 
sulted, and  the  perfect  working  wire-motion  power  loom  now  in 
use  at  the  mill  was  the  final  result.  The  company  started  with 
one  loom ;  they  now  have  one  hundred  and  sixty  in  operation,  with 
a  number  of  new  ones  in  process  of  construction. 

The  struggle  at  the  beginning  was  one  that  would  have  dis- 
couraged ninety-nine  men  out  of  a  hundred.  Weeks  and  months 
passed  before  a  piece  of  plush  that  could  be  termed  perfect  was 
produced,  but  perseverance  conquered. 

As  a  result  of  the  manufacture  of  car  and  furniture  mohair 
plushes  on  power  looms,  where  the  production  was  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  yards  a  day,  the  prices  have  been  very  materially  lower 
in  this  country,  and  within  six  or  seven  years  from  the  beginning 
of  the  manufacture  prices  were  reduced  fully  50  per  cent. 

Besides  the  Sanford  ]\Iills,  mentioned  above,  the  Massachusetts 
]\Iohair  Plush  Company,  at  Lowell,  ^Mass.,  as  its  name  signifies, 
manufactures  plushes,  having  begun  this  line  of  work  in  1892. 
For  several  years  these  mills  used  imported  mohair  almost  entirely, 
but  in  1896,  finding  an  improvement  in  the  domestic  product, 
they  began  to  use  tl\e  latter  very  largely. 

These  facts  of  history  answer  conclusively  the  frequent  inquiry 
whether  mohair  plushes  are  made  in  the  United  States.  The 
statistics  of  mohair  consumption  in  1899  show  that  our  mills 
consumed  not  only  all  of  the  domestic  product  but  over  a  million 
pounds  of  imported  mohair. 

As  the  domestic  supply  increases  and  improves,  other  mills 
will  consume  much  of  it.  Some  do  not  use  it  at  this  time  because 
it  is  difficult  to  obtain  a  supply  such  as  would  warrant  the  pur- 
chase of  the  special  nuichinery  required. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

THE  MEAT,  THE  .MARKETS,  AND  TILE  MILK. 
Augora  JIuttuu. 

The  features  of  the  Angora  industry  wliicli  have  received  most 
aitcntion  from  the  general  public  so  far  are  their  habits  of  de- 
stroying brushwood  and  their  ability  to  produce  nioliair.  Their 
availability  as  a  meat  producer  has  long  been  well  known,  how- 
ever, to  those  Avho  have  been  raising  tliem,  and  the  meat  is,  with- 
out exception,  pronounced  by  these  wlio  have  eaten  of  it  to  be  the 
equal  of  any  lamb.  Some  are  sure  that  tliey  can  detect  a  sweet- 
ness not  characteristic  of  lamb,  Init  the  truth  is  that  most  people 
would  be  unable  to  detect  any  difference  between  Angora  meat  and 
mutton,  if  feeding  conditions  in  both  cases  had  been  the  same. 
Indeed,  thousands  of  them  even  now  are  sold  upon  the  markets  of 
Kansas  City,  where  they  are  slaughtered  and  canned  or  put  in 
cold  storage  and  sold  cn-erywhere  as  lamb.  This  is  simply  the 
continuation  of  a  practice  adopted  by  the  slaughterhouses  when 
there  was  the  most  deep-seated  prejudice  against  goat  meat.  At 
this  time,  however,  that  prejudice  is  rapidly  waning,  and  soon 
there  will  be  no  dilTicully  in  disposing  of  Angoras  for  meat  in  any 
place  in  this  country. 

This  prejudice  against  goat  mutton  is  founded  upon  ignorance 
rather  than  experience.  The  most  ill-smelling  "billy"  of  the 
worst  possible  type  is  made  the  standard  of  goat  flesh  for  the 
whole  goat  family.  As  far  liack  as  Abraham's  day  we  read  of 
goats  being  used  for  meat,  and  this,  too,  when  there  were  many 
cattle  and  sheep.  Certainly  there  was  no  prejudice  against  them  at 
that  time. 

The  flesh  of  the  Angora  is  exceedingly  nutritious  and  pala- 
table. Shropshire  lambs,  which  are  considered  as  among  the  best 
kinds  of  meat,  arc  said  not  to  be  superior  to  a  well-fed  and  well- 
cooked  kid.  In  the  Southwest  these  animals  are  as  readily  sold 
for  meat  as  slice]),  and  tlie  market  has  never  been  overstocked.  A 
gentleman  in  Texas  found  a  ready  market  for  his  canned  Angora 
mutton,  but  was  compelled  to  close  his  cannery  because  the  supply 
of  goats  was  not  nearly  sufficient  to  supply  the  demand.  In  tlie 
iSorthwest,  in  nearly  every  locality  some  have  been  killed  for  mut- 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING.  97 

ton,  and  there  has  never  been  a  derogator}^  statement  concerning 
the  quality  of  the  meat. 

In  Cape  Colony  it  is  said  that  the  old  does  are  slaughtered 
to  furnish  meat  for  farm  hands  and  young  wethers  are  sold  to 
butchers  in  the  town.  In  California  many  miners  purchase  An- 
gora wethers  in  preference  to  sheep  wethers  for  salting  down  for 
winter  use,  because,  as  they  state,  the  Angora  contains  less  fat,  is 
more  easily  kept,  and  is  just  as  palatable. 

John  W.  Fulton,  who  is  much  interested  in  exploiting  the  An- 
gora goat  industry  in  Montana  and  other  parts  of  the  Northwest, 
recently  distributed  x\ngora  mutton  to  several  prominent  residents 
of  Helena,  and  he  has  permitted  the  writer  to  copy  a  few  letters 
which  he  received  concerning  the  meat.  The  first  one  is  from  Hon. 
J.  K.  Toole,  governor  of  ]\rontana :  "Referring  to  the  Angora  goat 
venison,  which  you  were  kind  enough  to  send  me,  I  am  pleased  to 
say  that  it  formed  a  very  satisfactory  part  of  our  Christmas  dinner. 
We  touched  it  rather  gingerly  at  first  through  a  sort  of  prejudice, 
but  all  agree  that  it  was  a  very  near  approach  to  real  venison." 

This  is  from  Hon.  J.  A.  Ferguson,  commissioner  of  the  Bureau 
of  Agriculture,  Labor  and  Industry:  "It  is  with  much  pleasure 
that  I  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  a  very  favorable  opinion 
of  Angora  venison  as  a  welcome  addition  to  the  usual  meats  upon 
a  bill  of  fare.  It  is  sweet,  juicy  and  palatable — preferable  to  ven- 
ison, pork,  or  mutton.  A  knowledge  of  the  good  qualities  of  Angora 
venison  will  surely  lead  to  its  adoption  as  a  regular  food,  and  it 
ought  not  to  be  difficult  to  develop  a  profitable  demand  for  such  a 
toothsome  article." 

And  this  from  A.  M.  Holter,  a  prominent  wholesale  hardware 
dealer:  "In  reply  to  your  inquiry  will  say  that  we  have  used  An- 
gora venison  at  our  house  on  several  occasions,  and  my  opinion  is 
that,  when  it  is  properly  cooked,  it  compares  favorably  with  mut- 
ton in  every  respect,  and  personally  I  prefer  it." 

Hon.  F.  D.  Coburn,  vSccretary  of  the  Kansas  State  Board  of 
Agriculture,  speaks  in  highest  terms  of  Angora  mutton. 

Helena,  Mont.,  Jan.  9th,  1903. 
Mr.  Jno.  W.  Fulton, 

Secretary  Montana  Angora  Goat  Co.,  Helena,  Mont. 
Dear  Sir: — It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  express  to  you  my 
favorable  opinion  of  Angora  meat,  such  as  you  were  kind  enough 
to  send  me,  which  I  found  to  be  very  delicious  and  sweet  when 
properly  cooked,  and  will  compare  favorably  with  meat  of  like 
species.     I  see  no  reason  why  the  meat  of  Angora  goat  should  not 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 


become  popular, 
fattened  and  put 


and  believe  it  \vi..  „. 
on  sale  in  the  nuirkut 
Yours  respectful  1}' 


lien  the  animals  are  properl_i 
T.  C.  Power. 


Hek-na,  Mont.,  Jan.  Kith,  1903. 
Mr.  J.  W.  Fulton, 

Secretary  Angora  (ioat  Co.,  Helena,  Mont. 
Dear  Sir: — Some  little  time  ago  I  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving 
from  you  a  roast  of  Angora  venison.    I  desire  to  express  my  appre- 
ciation of  your  kindness,  and  say  that  I  found  it  very  palatable. 
As  an  article  of  food  I  believe  it  to  he  (piite  satisfactory. 
Yours  very  truly, 

Oko.  M.  Hays,  Secretary  of  State. 

It  would  not  lie  a  diilieull  matter  to  compile  a  thousand 
endorsements  of  the  use  of  goafs  flesh,  but  it  would  be  difficult 
to  find  any  one  who  would  condemn  it  after  using  it.  Opinions 
are  given  herewith  of  only  a  few  of  the  representative  breeders  in 
this  country: 

From  W.  G.  Hughes  &  Co.,  Hastings,  Tex.— "The  Angora  is 
much  more  nutritious  than  sheep  mutton,  especially  where  the 
meat  is  grown  on  underbrush  (leaves),  as  the  following  compila- 
tion of  relative  values  of  feed  will  show: 


Character  of 

Feed. 

Protein. 

Starch,  etc. 

Fats. 

Per  cent. 
3.5 
4.5 
5.2 
3.3 

Per  cent. 

9.7 
10.1 
15.2 

T  0 

Per  cent. 
0.8 

1.0 

1.5 

Red  clover 

0.7 

"It  is  often  jireseribed  by  jihysicians  for  invalids  and  children 
for  this  reason.  The  meat  is  excellent,  and  not  distinguishable 
from  mutton  of  the  same  age  and  condition.  It  is  largely  sold 
as  such  in  many  of  the  larger  markets,  lieing  regarded  as  a  staple 
in  the  districts  where  it  is  raised." 

From  C.  P.  Bailey  &  Sons  Co.,  San  Jose,  Cal.— "The  young 
wethers  make  the  best  of  mutton.  The  meat  is  rich  and  juicy  and 
free  from  the  strong  taste  so  common  to  the  meat  of  the  common 
goat.  I  consider  it  equal  to  mutton.  Wt'  have  sold  hundreds  of 
head  for  mutton,  always  reserving  the  skins,  which  are  worth 
green  from  75  cents  to  $2  each." 

From  11.  T.  Fuchs,  :\rarl)le  Falls,  Tex.— "Anybody  who  has 
ever  tasted  a  roasted  or  barbecued  piece  of  Angora  mutton  will 


REGISTERED   DOES   AND   FIVE  YOUNG   BUCKS. 
On  Ranch  of  W.  G.  Hughes  &  Co.,  Hastings,  Tex. 


100  ANUORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

find  it  better  tlian  any  meat  tliey  ever  tasted.  Angora  mutton  is 
worth  in  the  markets  about  the  same  as  sheep  mutton.  1  sell  it 
to  my  neighbors  at  -iVii  cents  per  pound,  and  in  town  I  sell  it  at 
r»  and  6  cents  per  pound." 

From  George  A.  Houok,  Eugene,  Oreg. — "It  is  better  than 
mutton,  being  free  from  the  oily  taste  of  sheep  meat  and  partaking 
somewhat  of  the  flavor  of  wild  meat." 

Angora  mutton  should  be  cooked  longer  than  sheep  mutton.  If 
this  is  not  done  disappointment  is  almost  certain.  Well  fattened 
old  goats,  if  thoroughly  cooked,  may  l)e  made  tender  and  palatable. 

There  is  not  much  to  be  said  about  the  flesh  of  the  common 
goat.  It  is  not  so  generally  used  as  that  of  the  Angora,  and  in 
quality  is  not  to  be  classed  w^ith  it.  The  kids  of  the  common 
goats,  however,  are  considered  very  fine,  and  in  some  parts  of 
the  South  many  grown  animals  are  slaughtered. 

Flavor  of  Angora  Ifliittou. 

A  fact  noted  in  connection  with  Angora  mutton,  if  the  goat 
has  been  fattened  principally  on  brushwood  and  weeds,  is  that  it 
has  the  game  flavor  common  to  the  flesh  of  deer  and  other  wild 
game.  It  is  this  flavor  which  has  given  the  name  "venison"  by 
some  to  the  flesh  of  the  Angora.  There  is  no  reason  to  doubt  the 
presence  of  this  flavor,  for  it  is  well  known  that  flavor  may  not 
only  be  fed  into  meat,  but  into  milk  and  eggs  as  well.  All  game 
flavor  disappears  when  the  animals  are  fed  grain  and  grass. 

One  of  the  first  and  most  important  questions  that  arises  in  the 
mind  of  one  who  may  contemplate  engaging  in  the  Angora  goat 
raising  is.  Is  there  a  market  for  the  products?  The  same  ques- 
tion arises  in  connection  with  any  other  line  of  stock  raising  or 
commercial  enterprise,  and  it  must  be  answered  satisfactorily  if 
there  is  to  be  an  investment. 

miarkets  for  Goats  for  Meat. 

It  can  not  be  said  at  this  time  that  there  is  or  will  bo  a  market 
for  goats  as  steady  as  that  for  sheep,  for  the  reason  that  compara- 
tively few  have  entered  the  regular  channels  of  live  stock  trade; 
but  it  can  be  said  that  those  which  have  been  placed  upon  the 
market  have  been  sold  without  difficulty.  Usually  the  price  b.as 
been  a  little  below  the  ruling  price  for  sheep,  but  it  has  frequently 
occurred  at  Kansas  City  (where  most  goats  have  so  far  been  mar- 
keted) that  a  bunch  of  Angora  A\;ethers  has  brought  more  than 
sheep  on  the  same  day.  This  is  where  they  are  slaughtered  and 
put  upon  the  retail  market  as  dressed  mutton  or  used  for  canning. 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  101 

The  time  will  soon  come  when  dressed  Angora  will  be  called  for, 
and  it  will  bring  as  good  a  price  as  mutton. 

There  is  room  now  for  the  Angora  as  a  meat  animal.  Cattle, 
sheep,  and  hogs  are  all  bringing  very  high  prices  and  Angora 
prices  are  high  also,  in  sympathy  with  them.  The  live  question 
just  now,  however,  is  not  so  much  where  to  market  them  as  where 
to  get  them.  If  the  industry  develops  from  the  best  breeding 
stock,  with  the  purpose  of  mohair  production  in  view,  there  will 
not  be  any  considerable  number  to  go  upon  the  market  for  some 
lime.  Wethers  are  good  mohair  producers  for  seven  or  eight 
years;  they  may  be  then  fattened  for  market,  and  then  become 
excellent  meat.  The  demand  for  a  better  quality  of  mohair  will 
have  a  tendency  to  throw  the  poorer  grade  of  goats  upon  the  market 
as  meat,  but  this  quality  will  grow  fewer  and  fewer  every  year. 
From  the  standpoint  of  mohair  production  alone,  it  would  be  a 
grand  thing  for  the  industry  if  three-fourths  or  more  of  the  An- 
goras in  the  country  at  this  time  could  be  sent  to  the  slaughter- 
house. 

For  some  time  to  come,  as  in  the  past,  many  breeders  will 
continue  the  practice  of  building  up  Angora  flocks  by  crossing 
Angora  bucks  upon  common  does,  and  then  upon  the  does  of  the 
first,  second,  and  third  crosses,  and  so  on.  The  males  resulting 
from  such  crossing  must  not  be  permitted  to  grow  to  breeding 
age.  They  should  be  castrated  early,  for  they  sometimes  breed 
when  very  young.  The  only  use  to  which  such  wethers  can  be 
put  is  to  convert  them  into  meat.  The  flesh  from  such  crosses 
is  considered  to  be  nearly  as  good  as  that  of  the  higher  grades. 

The  Milk  of  Angoras. 

The  Angora  is  not  primarily  a  milch  goat  and  is  not  often 
employed  for  that  purpose.  Information  at  hand  shows  that  the 
([uantitv  of  milk  given  by  an  Angora  doe  is  uncertain,  and  in 
exceptional  cases  only  does  it  approach  in  quantity  that  produced 
by  the  established  breeds  of  milch  goats,  such  as  the  Toggenburger, 
Saanen,  Maltese,  and  Nubian.  Evidently  the  reason  why  the  An- 
gora is  so  uncertain  in  milk  production  is  because  it  has  never 
l)een  bred  with  that  end  in  view.  The  established  breeds  of  milch 
goats  have  l)ecome  such  after  long  years  of  careful  breeding — the 
selection  of  individuals  with  specially  developed  characteristics. 
This  is  necessary  to  insure  quantity,  quality,  and  duration  of 
lactation. 

There  appears  to  be  no  reason  why  the  Angora  might  not  be 
developed  into  a  very  fair  milch  goat  if  such  a  thing  were  desirable. 
But  it  is  deemed  wiser  to  charge  the  Angora  with  the  duty  of 


102 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 


producing  a  good  fleece  and  raising  a  strong  and  liealthv  kid. 
When  she  does  this,  she  does  well.  The  hair  on  a  good  Angora 
covers  the  entire  body  alike,  and  thus  it  greatly  interferes  with 
the  operation  of  milking. 

In  the  Southwest,  whore  the  practice  of  crossing  the  Angora 
upon  the  common  and  ^Icxican  does  has  been  in  vogue,  it  is  said 
that  a  good  milch  animal  is  frequently  produced.  The  milking 
strain  is  very  apt,  in  such  cases,  to  come  from  the  side  of  the 
common  or  Mexican  doe.  It  is  stated  upon  the  authority  of  some 
of  the  oldest  breeders  of  the  country  that  the  likelihood  of  finding 
a  good  milch  goat  among  Angoras  diminishes  as  the  grade  of  the 
animal  is  raised. 

In  this  connection  the  n-marks  of  William  G.  de  Coligny, 
formerly  a  government  ofKeer  of  Ecuador  (uow  of  Springfield, 
Mass.),  and  one  who  had  cxjierience  in  that  country  with  cross- 
bred Angoras  and  Xubian  goats  for  milk,  are  full  of  interest. 
"The  Angora  goat  in  itself  is  not  a  good  milch  goat  at  all,  but 
crossed  with  the  Xubian,  or  Upper  Egy])t,  goat,  l)ecomes  quite  a 
good  milch  goat."'  lie  states  that  from  such  crosses  produced  in 
Ecuador  the  daily  yield  of  milk  per  head  was  about  214  liters. 
The  crossing  of  the  Xubian  and  common  goat  of  Ecuador  produced 
a  goat  with  a  milk  yield  of  31/0  liters. 

There  is  an  al)undancc  of  authority  that  goat's  milk  is  more 
nearly  equal  to  human  milk  than  that  of  any  other  animal,  and 
that  of  the  Angora  is  equal  to  that  of  any  other  breed  of  goats. 
An  anlysis  of  goat's  milk  for  the  British  Goat  Society,  with  an 
analysis  of  cow's  milk  also  for  comparison,  is  shown  in  the  table 
below.  The  cow's  milk  was  from  a  cow  which  had  been  a  winner 
at  a  dairy  show: 

COMPARISON  OF  ANALYSIS  OF  GOAT'S  AND  COW'S  MILK. 


Element. 

:>oafs  Milk. 

Cows  Milk. 

Water         .... 

Per  cent. 
83.21 
7.30 
4.18 
4.10 
1.21 

Per  cent. 

87  56 

Butter  fat  . 

3  63 

Milk  sufrar 

8  81 

Ash 

100 

The  special  reason  why  the  milk  of  the  goat  is  considered  so 
beneficial  is  that  it  is  not  likely  to  contain  the  germs  of  tubercu- 
losis. Bovine  tuberculosis  is  so  prevalent  now-a-days  that  many 
people  will  not  touch  it  if  it  is  not  sterilized.    .Goats  are  practically 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 


103 


immune  to  tuberculosis.  It  is  true  that  goats  will  have  this  dis- 
ease if  they  are  inoculated  with  it,  but  they  are  not  at  all  likely 
to  contract  it  otherwise.  The  reader,  if  interested,  is  advised  to 
read  the  discussion  of  tuberculosis  in  the  chapter  on  "Milch  goats." 


CHAPTER  Vm. 

LOCALITIES   ADAPTED   TO    ANGORA   GOAT    RAISING. 
Tbe  Question  of  Climate. 

So  far  as  temperature  is  concerned,  no  place  has  been  found 
that  is  too  hot  or  too  cold  for  Angoras.  Although  not  partial  to 
heat,  they  will  endure  it  quite  as  well  as  sheep.  Shade  is  essential 
to  success  if  the  sunshine  is  very  warm. 

The  climate  of  Angora,  where  the  breed  originated  and  is  still 
supposed  to  flourish  in  its  more  perfect  state,  is  extreme.  A  tem- 
perature as  high  as  85°  F.  is  registered  in  the  summer  and  as  low 
as  0°  F.  in  the  winter.  The  United  States  presents  a  wider  range 
of  temperature,  where,  in  southern  Texas  and  New  Mexico,  it  may 
go  above  100^  F.  in  the  summer,  and  in  Idaho  as  low  as 
30°  F.  below  zero  in  winter.  The  range  of  localities  where  An- 
goras have  done  well  is  from  Guadalupe  Islands,  in  the  Lesser 
Antilles,  to  Ukamak  Island,  belonging  to  the  Alaska  Peninsula. 
M.  L.  Washburn,  superintendent  for  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany at  Kadiak,  says:  "On  Ukamak  Island  we  have  a  flock  of 
Angora  goats,  which  have  increased  CO  per  cent  a  year  since  they 
were  placed  there.  They  have  given  very  good  results  in  mohair, 
some  of  which  is  of  good  quality  and  fine  texture."  William  M. 
Landrum  is  quoted  as  follows :  "White  goats  can  stand  any  amount 
of  cold  and  snow,  but  sleet  and  wind  are  very  injurious.  On  the 
other  hand,  they  can  endure  the  scorching  heat  of  the  Tropics. 
Their  fleece  is  best  at  an  altitude  of  from  3,000  to  6,000  feet  above 
the  sea  level.  The  fleece  never  sheds  on  the  Guadalupe  Island, 
210  mile^  from  San  Diego,  at  an  altitude  of  only  from  2,000  to 
4,000  feet.  I  have  grown  mohair  there  2  feet  long,  of  lovely 
texture." 

In  considering  Angora  culture  it  is  of  importance  to  study  the 
climate  with  reference  to  moisture  rather  than  temperature.  It 
should  be  remembered  that  the  original  home  of  the  goat  is  high 
up  in  the  mountains,  where  the  air  is  not  laden  with  moisture. 
Under  like  conditions  it  thrives  best  here. 

It  is  a  historical  fact  that  the  first  effort  to  transplant  the  An- 
gora goat  outside  of  Asia  was  a  failure  on  account  of  these  condi- 


ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING.  105 

tions.  This  was  in  1554,  Avhen  a  few  individuals  were  taken  to 
Holland,  but  they  soon  died,  owing  to  the  moist  climate. 

The  effect  of  climate  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  character 
of  mohair.  On  this  point  John  S.  Harris,  of  Salem,  Oreg.,  for- 
merly of  Oakley,  Idaho,  a  gentleman  of  much  experience,  is  quo- 
ted: "Mohair  grown  here  in  Idaho  is  very  bright  when  scoured, 
and,  owing  to  the  electric  currents  which  exist  in  the  air,  the 
hair  possesses  elasticity,  a  property  requisite  to  mohair.  Goats 
do  not  grow  a  long  staple  here,  but,  owing  to  the  cold,  it  is  very 
dense.  Neither  do  they  grow  so  heavy  a  fleece  as  in  a  milder  cli- 
mate, owing  to  the  dryness  of  the  air." 

Col.  W.  L.  Black,  who  is  a  writer  upon  Angora  subjects,  and 
whose  experience  as  a  breeder  covers  a  period  of  thirty  years  and 
more,  says  that  the  Angora  goat  will  thrive  in  any  part  of  our 
country,  and  the  yield  of  mohair  will  be  greatest  in  the  colder 
States.  He  estimates  that  the  yield  can  be  increased  fully  one 
pound  by  removing  the  goats  from  Texas  to  any  of  the  Northern 
States.  Since  Colonel  Black  expressed  this  opinion,  the  Angora 
goat  industry  has  spread  into  every  State  of  the  Union  and  has 
in  most  particulars  confirmed  his  view.  Some  who  have  taken 
them  into  Northern  States  and  met  Avith  losses  have  been  inclined 
to  ascribe  their  misfortune  to  the  change  in  climatic  conditions, 
but  there  is  much  room  for  doubt  about  this.  The  condition  of 
the  goats  when  shipped,  the  change  in  character  of  feed,  exposure 
in  many  cases  to  severe  weather,  and  possibly  the  development 
of  disease,  are  more  likely  to  have  been  the  adverse  factors  than 
the  mere  difference  in  climate. 

The  Character  of  Soil  Desirable. 

Almost  any  kind  of  soil,  except  w^et  and  marshy  land,  is  suit- 
able for  these  goats.  Their  preference  is  mountainous  or  rocky 
land,  where  they  find  it  necessary  to  climb  hillsides  and  cliffs  to 
browse.  Such  situations  not  only  afford  them  the  most  apparent 
satisfaction  in  climbing  and  feeding,  but  the  rocks  serve  to  trim 
the  hoofs,  which  is  a  matter  of  importance;  for  on  soils  devoid  of 
rocks  and  coarse  sand  the  feet  must  oftentimes  be  trimmed  by 
hand. 

One  thing  which  is  essential  to  successful  goat  raising  is  pure 
drinking  water,  and  no  place  affords  this  better  than  the  springs 
and  rivulets  of  hilly  and  rocky  localities. 

It  must  not  be  understood,  however,  that  rocks  and  hills  are 
essential,  though  they  afford  the  ideal  to  the  goat.  Some  of  the 
l)est  goats  in  this  country  are  on  valley  lands.  As  stated  above, 
almost  all  kinds  of  soil  are  suitable  except  wet  and  marshy  land. 


106  ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

Goat?  are  not  partial  to  water  in  any  form — in  the  soil  or  as  rain, 
snow,  or  sleet — and  they  drink  a  very  small  amount.  It  is  well 
to  rememher  that  Angoras  must  be  kept  dry  overhead  and  under- 
foot. 

Goats  are  as  subject  to  foot  rot  as  are  sheep,  and  this  is  one 
reason  why  they  should  not  bo  kept  on  wet  soil.  Such  a  locality 
has  a  deleterious  effect  on  the  mohair  also. 

Land  Available  for  Goat  Raising. 

The  character  of  land  first  suggested  as  being  available  for 
goat  raising  is  that  part  of  many  thousands  of  farms  which  is 
already  thickly  covered  with  brushwood  or  which  is  gradually 
becoming  covered.  All  through  the  Eastern  and  Southern  States 
fields  which  were  once  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation  are  now 
covered  by  a  dense  growth  of  brush  and  briers.  Only  the  most 
vigorous  application  of  the  grubbing  hoe  and  the  torch  prevents 
the  brush  from  taking  every  cultivated  acre.  In  some  places  there 
may  be  seen  corn  furrows  made  so  long  ago  as  to  enable  pine  trees 
a  foot  in  diameter  to  grow  up  in  them  since.  In  the  lumber 
regions  the  removal  of  the  trees  gives  an  impetus  to  the  under- 
bush,  which  soon  becomes  an  intolerable  nuisance.  So  there  are, 
in  Michigan  and  Wisconsin  especially,  thousands  and  thousands 
of  acres  of  ''stumpagc"  which  are  the  best  of  soil  and  which,  when 
the  brushwood  is  removed,  may  be  converted  into  the  best  of  pas- 
tures for  other  live  stock.  These  are  the  available  lands  which  the 
Angora  goats  are  now  feeding  upon ;  for  they  are  giving  a  double 
return  to  their  owners  by  clearing  up  the  farm  and  by  producing 
mohair.  There  is  enough  of  this  kind  of  work  to  engage  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Angoras  for  several  years. 

Besides  the  kind  of  land  mentioned  above,  there  are  millions 
of  acres  of  rough  mountainous  land  which  are  densely  covered  with 
brushwood,  and  which,  in  present  condition,  are  of  no  economic 
use.  Much  of  this  land,  if  cleared  of  brush,  would  become  seeded 
by  natural  methods  to  blue  grass,  and  thus  become  good  pasture 
land  for  other  live  stock.  Much  of  it,  too,  is  useful  for  nothing 
else  than  goats ;  grass  will  not  "come  in"  after  the  goats.  If  the 
goats  are  removed  after  it  is  once  cleared,  brush  will  follow  again. 
AH  of  this  mountainous  land  will  in  time  become  pasture  for 
millions  of  head  of  Angoras. 

Capt.  Almont  Barnes,  in  an  article  entitled  "Keeping  goats 
for  profit,"  makes  some  estimates  of  the  amount  of  unimproved 
land  in  the  country,  basing  his  calculations  upon  the  reports  of 
the  Eleventh  Census.  He  finds  that  the  total  amount  of  unim- 
proved land  in  the  United  States  is  265,000,000  acres.     In  Maine 


108  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

there  are  6,000,000  acres  in  farms,  of  which  3,000,000  are  im- 
proved; in  Georgia  are  25,000,000  acres  in  farms,  of  which  9,500,- 
000  are  improved.  He  concludes:  "There  is,  however,  in  the  Uni- 
ted States  a  large,  continuous  area,  embracing  over  one-third  of 
the  States  and  Territories,  which  invites  particular  attention  in 
connection  with  this  subject.  It  includes  the  South  Atlantic  and 
South  Central  divisions  and  a  part  of  the  Western  division  of  the 
Census  groupings,  or  twenty  States  and  Territories,  which  together 
contain  nearly  285,000,000  acres  in  farms,  of  which  over  122,- 
000,000  are  improved  and  over  102,000,000,  or  57  per  cent,  unim- 
proved. The  average  size  of  farms  and  the  average  amounts  of 
unimproved  land  are  greater  in  this  area  than  elsewhere,  and  the 
climatic  conditions  are  more  uniform."' 

To  give  a  detailed  description  of  all  this  land  mentioned  by 
Captain  Barnes  would  require  several  large  volumes,  and  can  only 
be  mentioned  in  the  briefest  manner  here. 

Few  of  the  people  living  in  New  England  or  west  of  the  Alle- 
gheny Mountains  realize  how  much  of  the  land  area  of  Mary- 
land, the  Virginias,  the  Carolinas,  Tennessee,  Louisiana,  Mis- 
sissippi, and  Georgia  is  still  in  virgin  forest  or  how  much  is  in 
l)rush  and  briers  where  good  fields  once  were  cultivated.  That  land 
which  has  "gone  back,"  or  grown  up  with  brushwood  and  briers, 
is  very  cheap.  There  is  an  increasing  interest  in  Southern  agri- 
culture, and  the  States  mentioned  are  even  now  welcoming  back 
the  Angora  goats  to  their  first  American  homes  to  do  the  work 
which  is  so  expensive  for  man  to  do.  Without  the  Angora,  it  may 
be  a  century  before  these  millions  of  acres  will  yield  anything 
useful  to  mankind.  With  him,  they  are  soon  converted  into  fields, 
pastures,  and  orchards. 

Piedmont  Virginia  has  considerable  forest  land,  with  many 
varieties  of  oak,  hickory,  poplar,  cedar,  chestnut,  pine,  and  other 
timber  trees.  Of  oak  there  are  at  least  seventeen  different  varie- 
ties. Most  of  this  area  has  been  cut  over,  so  that  there  is  remain- 
ing no  considerable  amount  of  mercantile  timber.  In  several  places, 
however,  manufacturers  arc  finding  it  profitable  to  work  up  the 
younger  growths  into  spokes,  handles,  headings,  staves,  etc.,  and 
it  is  claimed  that  the  pine,  locally  known  as  "old-field  pine,"  pos- 
sesses large  capabilities  for  utilization  in  the  manufacture  of  paper 
pulp.  What  is  said  of  Piedmont  Virginia  may  be  said  of  Pied- 
mont Carolinas  and  eastern  Tennessee.  Much  of  this  region  is 
already  producing,  in  its  northern  part,  some  of  the  finest  apples 
in  the  world,  and,  in  its  southern  part,  peaches  that  are  of  first 
quality.  The  railroads  here,  as  elsewhere,  are  doing  what  they  can 
toward  the  development  of  this  waste  land.     Eeaders  who  may 


ANGOSA  GOAT   RAISING.  109 

be  interested  are  advised  to  write  to  the  Land  and  Industrial 
Agent  of  the  Southern  Kailway,  Washington,  D.  C,  for  detailed 
information  concerning  available  land  in  any  of  the  States  men- 
tioned. 

The  conditions  obtaining  in  the  stumpage  districts  of  northern 
Michigan  are  flattering  for  the  Angora  industry.  Angoras  have 
already  been  tried  there,  and  they  do  well.  As  far  north  as  Sidnaw, 
Houghton  County,  Mich.,  W.  S.  Prickett  has  a  consideral)le  num- 
ber, as  well  as  a  thousand  Shropshire  sheep.  E.  C.  Anthony,  of 
Xegaunee,  Marquette  County,  in  the  same  State,  is  also  succeeding 
with  goats.  Information  concerning  every  feature  of  this  section 
may  be  obtained  from  the  Land  Commissioner  of  the  Duluth, 
South  Shore,  and  Atlantic  Railway,  at  Marquette,  Mich.  E.  W. 
McPherran,  the  present  Land  Commissioner,  furnishes  for  thih 
book  the  following  description  of  the  Michigan  peninsula,  under 
date  of  December  8,  1902:  "In  Ontonagon  County,  especially  in 
the  territory  between  the  east  and  west  branches  of  the  Ontonagon 
River  and  east  of  Lake  Gogebic,  the  country  was  originally  taken 
up  and  covered  by  homesteaders  and  large  lumbering  companies. 
After  the  pine  had  been  removed  from  these  lands  by  the  various 
parties  in  interest,  fire  broke  out  in  the  slashings  at  different  timco 
during  the  last  fifteen  years,  and  up  to  six  years  ago  fires  literally 
swept  that  territory  bare. 

"The  town  of  Ewen,  situated  upon  the  middle  branch  of  the 
Ontonagon  River,  is  in  the  midst  of  this  burned-over  district, 
and  the  land  on  all  sides  of  the  town  slopes  from  the  south  to  the 
north  and  from  the  east  and  west  down  to  the  middle  branch 
of  the  Ontonagon  River.  The  surface  of  this  country  is  generally 
fair  and  rolling  with  almost  no  bad  spots  in  it.  The  soil  is  a 
good  strong  clay  and  clay  loam.  There  is  left  upon  this  land  but 
little  green  timber,'  and  that  is  in  the  low  spots  and  along  the 
streams  and  water  courses  where  a  little  cedar  and  hardwood  can 
be  found— enough  to  afford  material  for  fencing  and  ample  pro- 
tection to  stock. 

"As  soon  as  the  fire  stripped  the  country  of  its  timber,  it  be- 
came covered  anew  with  second  growth — hardwood,  poplar,  birch, 
etc. — and  between  the  stumps  and  logs  there  sprang  up  a  strong 
growth  of  natural  grasses,  mixed  here  and  there  with  patches  of 
timothy  along  the  old  logging  roads  and  clover  and  timothy  near 
the  camps,  the  seed  being  dropped,  I  presume,  from  horses  and 
from  hay  brought  into  the  lumber  camps. 

"Col.  L.  D.  Burch,  of  the  American  Sheep  Breeder,  made  a 
recent  examination  of  this  territory  and  wrote  me  a  long  letter  in 
which  he  expresses  himself  extremely   delighted  with  the  whole 


110  ANtiOUA   GOAT   RAIllNt:. 

situation  and  says  that  tlicre  is  in  tliis  vic-inity  going  to  waste' 
annually  natural  ])asturage  enough  to  feed  several  thousand  head 
of  cattle  and  a  million  sheep  and  goats. 

"Another  stretch  of  territory  admirahly  adapted  to  goat  rais- 
ing extends  west  from  Lake  Gogehic  and  runs  through  what  was 
originally  a  heavy  hardwood  and  hemlock  country.  The  land  is 
a  first-class  clay  loam  and  in  many  instances  has  been  cleared 
either  by  fire  or  the  lumljerman's  axe.  Clearings,  when  they  have 
not  been  immediately  subjugated,  become  covered  with  a  strong 
growth  of  you]ig  shoots,  and,  as  the  land  is  well  watered  and  roll- 
ing enough  to  afford  s])lendid  drainage,  it  has  always  seemed  to  mc 
an  ideal  country  for  the  growth  of  sheep  and  goats. 

'"■After  crossing  the  Montreal  IJiver,  tlie  Ijoundary  between 
Michigan  and  Wisconsin,  one  strikes  anotiier  such  tract  of  land  as 
there  is  to  be  found  in  the  Ontonagon  valley  with  a  somewhat 
similar  soil.  This  country  runs  as  far  west  as  the  village  of  Mar- 
engo, Wis.,  ard  jiossihly  farther,  and  is  contiguous  to  the  D.  S.  S. 
&  A.  Ivy.,  being  evenlv  disli'ihuted  on  either  side  of  \]\o  track. 

"I  would  also  call  attention  to  ibe  (ounti'v  in  Houghton  and 
Baraga  counties  directly  back  of  I);ii'agn  on  Keweenaw  Bay.  In 
this  vicinity  a  large  number  of  German  and  Swedish  farmers  have 
settle<l  and  have  made  their  mark,  as  tliev  always  do.  Here  one 
finds  a  nice  tract  of  country,  tlie  slope  l)eing  towards  Keweenaw 
Bay  on  tlie  east.  The  soil  is  clay  and  clay  loam,  and  the  growth 
of  grasses  and  all  roots  crops  is  roniai-kably  ra])id. 

"At  Sidnaw,  Wwh.,  .Mr.  \V.  S.  Trickett  has  on  what  he  calls 
his  'Eoycroft  Farm"  a  herd  of  Angora  goats  and  also  about  1,000 
registered  Shropshire  sheep.  At  J.ow  Moor  in  ^[arquette  County 
Mr.  E.  C.  Antliony,  of  Xegaunee,  Midi.,  lias  bad  good  success  in 
raising  both  sheep  and  goats. 

"The  territory  just  south  of  tb(>  village  of  Xewlx-rry,  in  Luce 
County,  is  another  desirable  location  for  the  pasturage  of  goats. 
This  country  was  stripped  of  its  limiier  liy  tlie  Newl)erry  Furnace 
Company  A\bilc  in  o])oratioii  at  Xe\\lien'y,  the  tinil)er  being  then 
used  for  fuel  and  kiln  wood.  Tlie  land  around  Xewlierry  is  a 
sandy  loam  with  a  slope  from  the  south  to  the  north  and  drainage 
into  the  Tahqnamenon  l?iver.  There  are  some  ."i,!*!)!)  or  (!,000 
acres  of  this  land  almost  entirely  destitute  of  timber. 

"hi  the  Ontonagon  valley  there  are  ])ei']ia]is  .'l.l^OOO  acres  of 
land  suitable  for  the  pasturage  of  goats;  between  the  head  of 
Lake  Gogebic  and  Marengo,  Wis.,  possibly  twice  that  amount. 

"This  land  can  be  bought  at  varying  prices — that  at  Newberry 
for  about  $2.50  per  acre ;  that  at  Ewen  for  from  $3.50  to  $0,  and 


112  ANGORA  (J OAT  RAISING. 

that  between  ]\Iarengo,  Wis.,  and  Lake  Gogeljic  for  about  the  same 
figures." 

So  far  as  the  lum])erod-over  condition  is  concerned,  nortnern 
Wisconsin  is  much  the  same  as  northern  Michigan.  A  bulletin 
(Xo.  88)  recently  issued  by  the  Wisconsin  Agricultural  Experi- 
ment Station  deals  with  the  agricultural  features  of  this  section, 
and  the  statements  given  herewith  are  from  it.  Goats  are  to  be 
considered,  in  most  parts  of  our  country,  as  the  forerunners  of 
sheep.  They  destroy  the  brush  and  weeds,  fertilize  the  soil,  and 
the  grass  which  follows  and  which  they  are  not  likxdy  to  disturb 
becomes  the  best  of  pasturage  for  sheep  or  cattle.  "One  great  ad- 
vantage which  this  region  possesses  that  has  been  forcibly  shown, 
especially  in  recent  years,  is  that  a  clover  crop  is  rarely  subject 
to  failure.  In  the  southern  counties  the  snowfall  is  often  so 
light  that  clover  winter-kills,  and  it  is  therefore  difiicult  at  times 
to  secure  luxuriant  pasturage  and  maintain  the  fertility  of  the 
soil.  In  the  central  and  northern  counties  this  has  never  yet 
happened,  and  the  result  is  that  these  highly  nitrogenous  forage 
crops  can  be  raised  in  great  abundance.  This  region  is  preemi- 
nently a  grass  region,  wild  grasses  growing  in  the  greatest  pro- 
fusion, while  the  domesticated  grasses,  like  timothy,  red  top,  and 
Kentucky  blue  grass,  are  introduced  with  the  greatest  ease.  This 
can  be  seen  even  in  the  prime^-al  forests  where  timothy  and  clover 
spring  up  in  the  'tote  roads'  wherever  the  sunlight  is  let  in  through 
the  cutting  of  tlie  timber.  Not  infrequently  timothy  reaches  a 
development  of  five  feet  in  height." 

The  great  adaptability  of  the  soil  of  this  section  for  clovei* 
and  grasses  makes  pasturage  perfect.  Many  men  of  means  have 
recently  started  large  stock  farms  in  this  hardwood  belt,  including 
some  of  the  most  prominent  breeders  in  the  country.  Land  is  not 
very  high  in  price.  Whoever  may  desire  further  information 
should  address  an  inquiry  to  the  Land  Commissioner  of  the  Wis- 
consin Central  Railway,  ]\Iilwaukee,  Wis. 

Central  and  northern  Minnesota  are  offering  great  opportu- 
nities for  goat  farms.  Angoras  are  now  being  employed  there  by 
many  farmers  for  clearing  brush  land,  and  the  demand  for  them 
is  rapidly  increasing.  The  purpose  is  to  have  sheep  follow  the 
goats. 

The  forest  trees  alone,  says  Prof.  Thomas  Shaw,  would  tell 
to  an  experienced  eye  the  tale  of  the  character  of  the  land.  I\Iuch 
of  the  forest  is  hardv.'ood,  comprising  such  varieties  as  maple, 
birch,  hemlock,  and  in  the  lower  lands  elm  and  basswood.  Large 
areas  at  one  time  grew  straggling  pines  of  good  size,  with  more  or 
less  frequency,  among  the  hardwood  trees.     Other  forests  are  of 


ANGORA  CiOAT  RAISING.  113 

the  grove  order.  Tliey  are  composecl  of  small  trees,  all  or  nearly 
all  of  the  hardwood  varieties,  and  they  grow  so  closely  that  they 
crowd  one  another  for  existence;  and  yet  again  are  stretches  where 
pines  only  grew.  But  these,  compared  with  the  whole  area,  are 
not  large,  except  in  Oneida  County  in  the  neigliborhood  of  Rhinc- 
iander  and  noi'thward  from  that  place.  But  in  some  other  areas 
of  Wisconsin  the  pine  stretches  are  extensive. 

The  kind  of  pasturage  that  is  produced  after  the  timber  and 
brush  are  removed  is  shoAvn  in  the  following  from  Professor 
Shaw:  "No  sooner  has  the  forest  been  cut  away  and  fire  has  done 
its  work  in  removing  the  encumbering  timber  and  brush  than  the 
blue  grass  and  white  clover  spring  up  like  magic  and  take  pos- 
session of  the  land.  Where  they  come  from  so  quickly,  nobody 
seems  to  know,  but  they  come,  and  they  come  to  remain  forever. 
If  the  bird  and  the  winds  could  speak,  they  would  probably  tell 
us  something  about  whence  they  come.  Their  rapid  growth  sug- 
gests the  thought  of  spontaneous  generation,  which  is,  of  course, 
impossible.  But  their  coming-  so  quickly  and  growing  so  luxuri- 
antly calls  up  the  thought  of  the  high  adaptation  of  the  country 
to  those  grasses.  Even  in  trails  in  the  forest  they  grow  and  flour- 
ish, where  they  must  needs  struggle  for  the  light.  This  abundant 
growth  not  only  furnishes  fine  pastures,  permanent  in  charactci 
if  desired,  but  their  presence  is  an  assurance  that  here  is  a  land 
with  high  adaptation  to  a  great  variety  of  crops.  In  such  a  soil 
mixed  pastures  also  permanent  in  character,  and  containing  many 
varieties,  can  undoubtedly  be  grown,  but  the  need  for  these  has  not 
yet  been  felt  by  the  settlers." 

The  "Soo"  Line  Eailway  is  taking  a  special  interest  in  the 
development  of  the  lands  described  above,  and  any  one  who  may  be 
interested  should  write  to  the  Land  and  Industrial  Agent  of  that 
line,  at  Minneapolis,  Minn.  The  increasing  interest  in  the  live 
stock  industry  of  the  country  and  the  proximity  of  these  lands  to 
the  great  Chicago  markets  make  them  very  desirable  to  many 
seekers  for  new  homes. 

One  of  the  things  Avhich  lias  long  been  a  menace  to  New  Eng- 
land prosperity  is  her  great  number  of  abandoned  farms.  The 
soil  "ran  out"  and  the  w^eeds  and  briers  "came  in,"  while  the 
owners  sought  new  homes,  perhaps  in  the  West.  The  situation 
appeared  hopeless  until  Angoras  were  introduced  and  began  to 
demonstrate  their  usefulness  in  rehabilitating  these  farms,  by 
exterminating  the  brush  and  calling  ])ack  the  grass.  There  are  not 
yet  many  goats  in  Xew  England,  ])ut  good  reports  are  made  of 
the  work  of  those  which  are  there.  Land  is  cheaper  nowhere  in 
our  countrv  than  in  this  section.     The  Angora  industrv  can  not 


114  ANGOPvA   GOAT   RAISINf!. 

fail  to  make  good  i)rogrc'Ss  licro,  for  tliev  have  hvro  the  feed  and 
the  markets. 

In  Oregon,  \\'asliington,  Idalio,  and  ^lontana  there  is  an  ahun- 
danoe  of  avaihible  hind.  The  Angoras  liave  been  tried  in  all  these 
States  and  proved  to  l)e  a  successful  venture.  Seekers  after  loca- 
tions should  correspond  with  tlie  secretaries  of  the  several  boards 
of  agriculture.  In  ^lontana  tlie  grazing  question  is  receiving  at- 
tention, and  it  is  entirely  probable  that  other  Western  States  will 
be  considering  the  relative  value  of  grazing  land  for  goats;  for  it 
must  be  remembered  that,  while  goats  prefer  brushwood  and  weeds 
to  grass,  they  will  eat  grass  and  ihrivc  on  it  if  confined  to  it. 
Besides,  there  are  good  mohair  growers  who  believe  that  the  quality 
of  the  fiber  is  improved  if  the  goats  have  a  diet  largely  composed 
of  grass. 

The  following  letter  fiom  C.  H.  Hales,  of  Eugene,  Oreg.,  con- 
tains matter  of  interest  to  any  one  who  may  think  of  engaging 
in  the  Angora  industry  in  Oi-egon.  Practically  the  same  condi- 
tions obtain  throughout  a  large  section  of  that  countrv  :  "I  have 
my  goats  in  the  Cascade  ^fountains  in  what  is  known  as  timber 
land,  and  I  am  satisfied  that,  l)y  clearing  up  the  underbrush  with 
goats,  it  will  not  only  make  fine  range  for  cattle,  but  will  be  the 
means  of  stopping  our  forest  fires.  The  timber  land  here  is  not 
poor  soil,  but  very  rich.  I  have  raised  clover  four  and  five  feet 
high  and  timothy  over  six  feet  high  on  this  mountain  land.  There 
are  thousands  of  acres  of  this  land  now  being  taken  as  timber 
land  under  the  Timber  and  Stone  Land  Act.  It  is  the  richest 
land  we  have. 

"^ly  goats  are  fat,  and  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  not  good 
policy  to  keep  them  on  browse  alone.  I  have  not  had  a  sick  goat 
during  the  year,  while  a  friend  of  mine  who  insisted  on  keeping 
his  on  brush  lost  s"veral  head  with  scours." 

The  Ozark  region,  which  embraces  practically  one-fourth  of 
the  south  and  southeastern  portions  of  Missouri,  and  extends  over 
a  considerable  portion  of  northern  Arkansas,  is  peculiarly  adapted 
to  Angora  goat  raising.  The  soil  of  the  major  part,  especially  in 
Missouri,  is  what  is  known  as  limestone  land  with  a  clay  sub- 
soil. The  surface  is  high  and  rolling,  in  many  places  broken, 
almost  mountainous  in  character.  The  altitude  is  from  1,200  to 
2,000  feet.  There  is  ample  rainfall,  something  over  40  inches  in 
a  vear,  which  is  ample  for  the  production  of  all  horticultural  and 
agricultural  products  which  are  raised  farther  north.  The  land  is 
all  covered  with  timli.-r;  the  valuable  portion  has  been  cut  off  in 
most  places,  leaving  an  undergrowth  which  ranges  from  4  to  30 
feet  high.     Black,  red,  white,  and  Inir  oak  predominate.     In  some 


116  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

sections  there  are  cedar  and  pine,  also  some  hickory,  walnut,  and 
elm ;  in  fact,  all  hardwood  species  are  said  to  appear  in  these  for- 
ests. Nearly  every  quarter  section  has  permanent  living  water 
upon  it.  Tame  grasses  of  all  kinds  do  well  here  after  the  timber 
has  been  cleared  away. 

In  addition  to  the  favorable  conditions  for  the  goat,  it  is  well 
to  have  consideration  for  his  master.  This  is  a  section  whose 
apples,  peaches,  plums,  pears,  and  cherries,  as  well  as  small  fruits 
of  all  kinds,  grow  abundantly.  The  country  is  favorably  located 
as  to  markets  and  railroad  facilities,  yet  the  land  is  very  cheap, 
ranging  from  $1  to  $5  per  acre  for  unimproved  land  and  from 
$8  to  $15  for  that  which  is  improved. 

A.  B.  Hulit,  Springfield,  Mo.,  general  manager  of  the  Frisco 
Live  Stock  Company,  is  mjich  interested  in  the  development  of 
this  Ozark  region,  and  will  answer  any  inquiries  concerning  it. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  CARE  OF  ANGORA  GOATS. 
Tbe  Question  of  their  Hardiness. 

There  has  been  a  great  amount  of  careless  writing  about  An- 
gora goats  which  has  given  the  widespread  impression  that  they 
are  very  hardy.  This  is,  indeed,  true  to  some  extent.  The  crosses 
upon  common  goats  are  very  likely  to  be  hardy,  and  it  may  be 
stated,  as  a  general  rule,  that  the  higher  the  cross  becomes  the 
less  hardy  is  the  animal.  Schreiner,  who  probably  knows  more 
about  what  the  original  purebred  Angora  goat  was  than  any  other 
authority,  says:  "I  think  it  is  certain  that  the  original  was  a 
small,  very  refined,  delicate  animal."  The  fact  that  the  besr 
mohair  goats  in  the  United  States  at  this  time  are  nearly  all  of 
this  description  lends  much  weight  to  his  opinion.  Our  breeders 
may  sometimes  produce  a  large,  hardy  animal  which  will  produce 
the  best  of  mohair,  but  such  an  ideal  is  not  yet  in  sight. 

In  many  instances  during  the  recent  rapid  spread  of  this  in- 
dustry, the  careless  or  shiftless  man  has  presumed  upon  the  re- 
puted hardiness  of  the  Angoras  and  has  subjected  them  to  all 
manner  of  discomfort  and  deprivation,  apparently  with  the  ex- 
pectation that  final  results  will  be  fully  as  satisfactory  as  if  ra- 
tional attention  had  been  given  them.  While  he  would  not  think 
of  putting  a  horse,  or  cow,  or  hog  upon  its,  own  resources  in  a 
pasture  in  winter  where  the  snow  is  a  foot  or  more  in  depth,  he 
has  done  so  with  his  goats  and  then  wondered  why  they  did  not 
thrive,  for  had  he  not  been  told  that  "they  will  live  on  nothing"  ? 
Now,  it  is  true  that  many  flocks  pass  through  a  winter  and  thrive 
well  where  the  snow  is  deep  and  the  temperature  very  low,  l)ut  they 
get  something  to  eat  every  day,  and  plenty  of  it.  Let  the  keeper 
of  Angoras  use  common  sense  in  handling  them  and  he  will  not 
be  disappointed. 

Given  adequate  shelter  and  feed  such  as  they  relish.  Angora 
goats  will  show  that  they  have  the  ability  to  withstand  both  ex- 
treme cold  and  extreme  heat.  They  thrive  in  Alaska  and  also  in 
Cxuadalupe  Island.  The  same  ability  to  withstand  extreme  tem- 
peratures is  exhibited  by  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  and  hogs,  which 
argues  more  for  care  than  against  climate.  (See  remarks  on  cli- 
mate in  the  chapter  on  "Localities  adapted  to  goat  raising.") 


118  ANGORA   GOAT   KAISIN(J. 

Angora  goats  can  subsist  upon  vegetation  wiiich  is  utterly  use- 
less for  any  other  purpose,  but  this  is  only  evidence  of  their  eco- 
nomical keeping;  it  does  not  authorize  one  to  conclude  that  they 
never  need  any  other  kind  of  feed.  The  purpose  of  speaking  of 
the  hardiness  of  the  Angora  goat  here  is  to  impress  the  fact  that, 
if  satisfactory  results  are  to  be  obtained — indeed,  if  disaster  is  to 
be  avoided — the  animals  must  receive  the  same  rational  treatment 
that  is  received  by  other  live  stock  when  best  results  are  sought. 
In  the  sense  that  domestic  animals  are  hardy,  the  Angora  goat 
is  very  hardy,  but  this  characteristic  is  of  service  only  so  far  as  it 
enaljles  him  to  respond  the  more  quickly  and  satisfactorily  to  ra- 
tional handling. 

Sbelter  and  Pens. 

A  shelter  is  necessary  during  wet  spells,  and  more  especially 
if  the  rain  is  cold  or  in  case  of  sleet  storms.  Dry  cold  alone  has 
little  or  no  injurious  effect  after  the  kids  are  three  or  four  weeks 
old,  and  they  will  even  frolic  in  the  snow  when  the  mercury  is  at 
zero,  and  sleep  with  ai)parent  comfort  in  an  open  shed.  With 
their  dense  covering  there  is  no  reason  why  this  should  not  be 
true;  but  this  same  dense  covering  Avhen  soaked  with  cold  water 
or  driven  full  of  sleet,  is  a  deadly  menace.  Goats  will  not  get 
wet  if  they  have  an  opportunity  to  avoid  it.  They  appreciate  a 
shelter  and  will  always  seek  it  at  night,  and  during  the  day  in  the 
event  of  storms.  They  are  said  to  be  excellent  barometers,  being 
able  to  foretell  stormy  weather,  and  always  contrive  to  place  them- 
selves under  shelter  before  the  advance  of  a  storm,  if  possible. 
Air.  Diehl  says  they  will  run  miles  to  avoid  an  undesirable  rain. 

Goats  should  not  be  left  on  the  range  or  in  pasture  over  night. 
The  latter  is  practiced  to  a  considerable  extent,  but  experience 
has  shown  that  they  are  safer  in  closer  confinement  during  the 
nighttime. 

The  pens  in  which  the  goats  arc  kept  at  night  sliould,  above 
all  things,  be  in  such  a  location  llml  they  can  be  kept  dry  by 
drainage.  Other  live  stock  sliouM  be  exehided,  as  they  woubl 
only  help  to  tram])le  the  ground  into  nuid  They  should  have  a  dry 
place  to  stand  and  slec]),  tor  they  aie  apt  to  contract  rheumatism 
in  the  knees.  There  would  l;e  little  use  in  raising  Angoras  for 
their  fleeces  if  they  are  compelled  t(^  wade  through  mud  and  tilth 
or  be  confined  under  these  conditions.  The  fleece  would  soon  be- 
come so  soiled  and  matted  as  to  he  a  "burden  unto  death." 

The  sheds  provided  for  their  shelter  must  be  of  a  size  to  give 
an  abundance  of  room.  The  goats  should  not,  under  any  circum- 
stances, be  huddled  together.     If  they  are  thus  crowded  in  cold 


120  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

weather  they  will  pile  up,  with  the  result  that  some  of  the  younger 
ones  will  die  from  suffocation.  One  writer  states  that  he  has 
known  as  high  as  30  being  killed  in  this  manner  in  one  night. 
Oscar  Tom,  of  Angora,  Oreg.,  describes  a  shelter  that  proves  sat- 
isfactory, in  the  following  language:  "The  sheds  should  have 
eave  troughs,  and  be  boarded  down  to  within  3  or  4  feet  of  the 
ground.  There  should  be  a  ditch  around  the  shed  to  prevent  any 
water  from  running  into  it,  and  it  should  be  open  all  around,  so 
that  the  goats  would  not  have  to  wait  for  others  ahead  of  them  to 
go  in;  a  few  cross  ones  could  not  block  the  way  and  keep  other 
goats  in  or  out,  and  the  rain  would  not  bl«w  in,  but  the  goats 
would  have  plenty  of  fresh  air.  There  should  l)e  a  good  fence 
around  the  shed  at  a  distance  of  at  least  fifty  yards,  to  keep  cattle 
and  horses  from  trampling  up  the  ground  and  working  it  into 
mud.  Have  the  fence  high  enough  for  the  goats  to  go  under,  but 
never  allow  hogs  to  run  into  the  goat  shed,  for  goats  are  easily 
frightened  after  dark." 

The  ditch  referred  to  will  fill  up  very  rapidly  with  dirt  and 
manure,  and  should  receive  constant  attention.  If  it  is  not  kept 
perfectly  clear  it  may  as  well  not  have  been  made. 

In  some  parts  of  the  country  the  strong  winds  will  blow  rain 
under  a  shed  such  as  Mr.  Tom  describes.  In  such  cases,  the  side 
from  which  these  storms  usually  come  might  be  boarded  to  the 
ground.  A  better  plan,  in  the  opinion  of  some,  is  to  have  a  few 
solid  movable  panels  of  fence  to  place  around  the  openings  of  the 
shed  on  such  occasions.  This  plan  is  convenient,  too,  as  the  panels 
may  be  taken  away  in  fair  weather,  thus  permitting  a  free  circu- 
lation of  air  from  all  sides. 

Shelter  from  the  sun's  rays  should  be  provided  for  summer 
time.  Although  goats  are  able  to  withstand  intense  heat,  they  do 
not  thrive  well  when  subjected  to  it.  For  this  purpose  sheds  more 
open  than  that  described  al)Ove  are  preferred,  for  the  reason  that 
the  air  will  have  freer  circulation.  Better  yet  than  a  shed  against 
the  suns'  rays  are  large  trees.  In  this  case  there  is  no  obstruction 
whatever  to  the  air. 

Herding  and  Fencing. 

Goats  require  a  great  amount  of  exercise,  much  more  than 
sheep.  The  one  is  by  nature  a  browser  and  the  other  a  grazer, 
and  the  browsing  habit  naturally  requires  more  activity  on  the 
part  of  the  goats.  They  are  sensitive  to  restraint  and  do  better 
if  not  herded,  but,  of  course,  this  is  often  a  necessity,  and  there- 
fore should  be  done  under  as  favorable  circumstances  as  possible. 
So  far  as  possible  they  should  not  be  allowed  to  feel  their  restraint. 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  121 

If  constant  attendance  is  necessary,  the  herder  should  be  of  quiet 
disposition.  The  next  best  thing  to  the  freedom  of  a  range  is  a 
large  pasture,  where  the  goats  may  have  oversight,  but  not  con- 
stant attendance.  Such  pastures  are  considered  the  cheapest 
method  of  keeping  these  goats.  They  can  easily  be  trained  to  come 
home  by  feeding  a  little  and  salting  regularly. 

The  fencing  for  pastures  is  a  matter  which  early  concerns  one 
who  contemplates  going  into  the  husiness,  for  it  is  the  current 
belief  that  goats  will  climb  onto  any  shed  of  ordinary  height  or 
jump  any  fence  that  will  stop  other  animals.  While  they  will 
climb  anything  that  is  built  in  such  a  manner  that  it  may  be 
climbed  easily,  they  will  not  jump  any  ordinary  fence.  They  will, 
however,  creep  through  if  there  is  an  opening  large  enough.  The 
old-fashioned  "worm"  fence,  especially  if  it  leans  outward,  will 
not  stop  goats.  The  angles  in  such  a  fence  are  an  incentive  and 
a  delight  to  them.  Indeed,  there  arc  many  hogs  that  will  go  over 
a  fence  of  this  kind. 

Tlie  writer  knows  oi  an  instance  where  an  effort  was  made  to 
keep  goats  inside  a  stone  wall ;  but  the  alert  animals  found  a 
stump  near  the  wall  at  one  point  and  from  tliat  jumped  upon  the 
Avail,  then  walked  nearly  liaif  a  mile  on  the  top  of  this,  and  then 
found  a  stone  outside  which  assisted  them  down.  He  has  also  seen 
goats  lie  flat  on  their  sides,  as  pigs  are  prone  to  do,  and  crawl 
under  a  woven-wire  fence.  These  instances  are  related  here  as 
warnings  that,  while  goats  will  neither  jump  nor  tear  down  a 
fence,  they  require  a  well-made  one.  They  accept  every  opportu- 
nity offered  to  climb  or  crawl. 

In  constructing  a  goat  fence  there  are  other  matters  to  be  taken 
into  account  than  simply  that  the  goats  should  be  kept  in;  the 
animals  themselves,  especially  the  young  ones,  must  be  protected 
from  predatory  animals,  such  as  dogs  and  wolves.  Too  much  de- 
pendence must  not  be  placed  upon  the  goat  to  defend  itself,  espe- 
cially in  the  dark.  It  often  occurs  that  dogs  and  wolves  do  their 
worst  work  at  night,  when  the  goats  are  without  an  attendant,  and 
they  frequently  go  upon  their  foray's  in  groups  of  two  or  more. 
The  greatest  cunning  and  generalship  is  exhibited  by  the  "sheep- 
killing"  dog.  In  the  Southwest  it  is  much  more  important  to 
fence  to  keep  varmints  out  than  it  is  to  fence  to  keep  the  goats  in. 
So  the  doul)le  ol)jcct  must  be  kept  in  view  in  building  a  goat 
fence.  Such  a  fence  must  be  dog-proof,  hog-proof,  and  wolf- 
proof.  A  hog  at  liberty  which  has  had  the  taste  of  chicken  or 
lamb  or  kid  is  a  greater  nuisance  than  any  wolf  or  dog,  and  should 
be  dispatched  as  being  an  enemy  to  other  young  live  stock  as  well 
as  kids. 


122  ANGORA  OOAT  RAISING. 

Any  material  which  is  usually  employed  in  the  construction  of 
fences  is  suitable  for  goat  fences.  The  manner  of  construction 
is  the  important  feature.  If  the  purpose  is  to  clear  land  of  brush- 
wood in  order  to  convert  it  into  pasture  land,  the  fence  should  bo 
made  witli  permanency  in  view.  A  fence  of  ten-barbed  hog  wires, 
with  posts  set  twenty  feet  apart,  and  having  three  stays  between, 
is  a  very  good  one.  The  lowest  wire  is  only  1  inch  from  the 
ground ;  the  next  four  wires  3;^  inches  apart,  and  one-half  inch 
added  to  every  space  above  the  first  below  it.  It  is  necessary  that 
all  wires  should  be  kept  taut.  ]n  the  Southwest  these  barbs  in- 
flict rounds  upon  wolves  and  dogs  which  try  to  get  through  them 
and  the  screw  worm  infests  the  Avound  and  deatli  ensues.  Goats 
are  wise  enougli  to  let  the  wires  alone. 

A  good  fence  may  be  made  of  woven  wire  three  feet  high, 
drawn  on  the  inside  of  posts,  and  a  closely  barbed  strand  of  wire 
3  or  -i  inches  above  fastened  to  tlie  (nitsidc  of  the  posts  to  prevent 
animals  from  jumping  in.  In  hilly  or  rolling  localities  some 
difficultv  is  met  in  fitting  the  fence  to  the  contour  of  the  ground. 
Sometimes  there  must  be  filling  under  such  a  fence  where  it 
crosses  over  a  depression.  Tl^is  must  not  be  overlooked,  for  the 
goat  will  astonish  you.  if  you  do  not  aitond  to  thes?  places,  by 
lying  flat  on  its  side  if  necessary  to  crawl  through.  C.  P.  Bailey 
&  Sons  Co.,  say:  "TsTearly  every  one  has  a  mistaken  idea  about 
fencing  pasture  to  hold  goats.  One  man  says,  '^lake  your  fence 
hog-tight,  hor.se-high,  and  bull-strong.'  Probably  this  man  had  a 
few  pet  goats  that  had  Itecome  experts  at  getting  out  of  pastures. 
A  good  fence  three  feet  high  is  amply  sufTicient  to  hold  goats. 
Three  boards,  with  two  barb  wires,  or  a  24-inch  Page  woven  wire 
fence,  with  three  l)arl)  wires  above,  will  hold  goats  without  lia- 
bility of  escaping.  Several  of  the  corrals  at  our  Nevada  ranch 
are  made  of  3G-inch  De  Kalb  wire  fencing,  with  one  barb  wire  at 
the  top.  These  corrals  keep  goats  in  and  coyotes  out.  The  barb 
wire  on  top  prevents  cattle  or  horses  from  lireaking  down  the 
fences." 

A  straight  rail  fence,  if  tlie  rails  are 
well  as  an  ordinary  lioard  fence,  will  turn 
worm,  fence  is  no  sort  of  barrier  to  tlieni. 
be  well  built  to  prevent  their  clinil)ing  it. 

A  goat  would  rather  slee]i  on  (n]i  of 
else  l)olow,  and  if  it  is  possible  for  him  to  get  on  a  roof  he  will  do 
it.  It  is  not  necessary  to  state  that  their  presence  there  is  ruinous 
to  the  building. 


laii 

1    el 

ds;' 

■  together. 

as 

gn;i 

ts; 

bu 

1  a  zigzag, 

or 

A 

st( 

nie 

f(MK'e  has 

to 

a   b 

arn 

tl 

lan   anvwhere 

124  ANc;ORA  UOAT   RAlSINCi. 

Tlie  Question  of  Feeding. 

The  principal  reason  why  goats  will  prove  fo  be  more  profit- 
able in  some  places  than  sheep  is  because  they  are  practically  inex- 
pensive so  far  as  feeding  is  concerned.  This  phase  of  the  subject 
is  quite  fully  discussed  in  the  chapter  on  "Browsing  and  pas- 
turage." The  goats  eat  the  leaves  in  summer  and  the  soft  twigs 
in  winter,  and  if  there  is  an  abundance  of  either  they  will  not 
need  much  of  anything  else  to  sustain  life.  It  is  not  possible  in 
all  localities,  however,  for  goats  to  get  twigs  in  winter,  and  there- 
fore some  other  provision  is  necessary. 

Corn  fodder  is  a  very  good  feed  and  is  relished  if  there  is  no 
browse  to  tempt  the  goats  away.  They  are  also  fond  of  clean 
straw.  There  is  not  sufficient  nourishment  in  these  fodders,  and 
some  grain  should  be  fed  to  keep  the  animals  in  good  condition. 
Probably  the  best  feed  is  oats,  and  if  it  is  sheaf  oats  it  is  better 
still.  In  Texas  cotton  seed  is  often  fed  by  scattering  it  upon  the 
hard  snow,  where  goats  will  have  to  exercise  somewhat  to  pick  it 
up;  besides,  the  time  consumed  in  picking  it  up  insures  better 
mastication. 

Reports  from  some  goat  men  who  have  run  their  goats  upon 
cowpea  stubble  in  the  autumn  are  of  the  most  satisfactory  nature. 
That  which  goats  pick  up  would  otherwise  be  good  as  fertilizer 
only,  and  it  puts  them  in  prime  condition,  in  a  very  short  time,  for 
breeding  and  for  winter.  Cowpea  hay,  clover  hay,  and  alfalfa  hay 
are  all  most  excellent  coarse  feeds,  and  with  them  no  grain  is 
necessary  to  carry  goats  through  the  winter  in  fair  condition. 

In  feeding  grain  care  must  be  taken  not  to  make  the  supply 
too  liberal,  unless  the  object  is  to  be  fattened  for  slaughter.  Goats 
easily  become  lazy  on  a  plentiful  supply  of  grain  and  will  decline 
to  go  out  to  feed  upon  the  brush.  This  is  an  important  ponit,  as 
their  hardiness,  to  a  large  extent,  is  attributed  to  their  feeding 
upon  browse  and  to  the  resulting  exercise.  The  cjuantity  of  food 
necessary  to  keep  goats  in  good  condition  varies  according  to  the 
climate,  but  one-fourth  pound  of  corn  or  its  equivalent  in  other 
grain  and  1^  pounds  of  hay  at  a  ration  is  about  a  fair  average. 
With  abundant  winter  pasture  this  ration  once  a  day  (in  the 
evening)  is  sufficient;  if  the  pasture  is  scant,  they  ought  to  have 
it  both  morning  and  evening,  and  on  wet  cold  days,  when  they 
are  kept  in  the  sheds  all  day,  feed  them  three  times  or  make  their 
rations  correspondingly  larger.  In  feeding  either  hay  or  grain, 
absolute  cleanliness  must  rule,  as  goats  will  not  eat  soiled  food. 
There  is  no  animal  more  particular  about  his  food  than  the  goat. 
He  has  no  inclination  for  mud  or  filth  in  which  to  stand  or  walk, 
much  less  having  to  pick  his  food  out  of  it,    Bryan  Hook,  author 

PROPERTY  OF 

■IK II  rniiFfiFUBRARYt 


ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING.  125 

of  "Milch  Goats  and  Their  Management,"  says :  "The  goat  is  of 
all  animals  the  most  fastidious  in  the  matter  of  the  cleanliness  of 
its  food,  refusing,  even  though  ever  so  hungry,  to  eat  food  that  has 
been  soiled  or  trodden  under  foot.  For  this  reason  a  rack  should 
be  provided  for  the  hny,  and  only  as  much  given  at  each  meal 
as  the  animal  will  consume,  for  that  which  has  been  trampled 
under  foot  will  ever  be  rejected,  even  though  carefully  collected 
and  replaced  in  the  rack." 

When  the  production  of  mohair  is  reduced  to  a  fine  art,  the 
question  of  feed  in  addition  to  browse  will  receive  the  most  careful 
attention  because  of  its  influence  upon  the  fiber.  With  this  thought 
in  mind,  the  reader  is  advised  to  see  what  Dr.  McMurtrie  says,  as 
quoted  in  the  chapter  on  "Mohair  and  mohair  manufactures." 

Wet  Grass  Considered  Injurious. 

The  Angora  goat  breeders  of  Asia  Minor  attribute  the  health- 
fulness  of  their  animals,  as  well  as  the  excellent  quality  of  mo- 
hair produced,  to  the  very  dry  climate.  They  believe  that  moisture, 
even  in  the  form  of  dew  and  sleet,  is  injurious  and  often  fatal  to 
the  goats,  and  are  very  careful  not  to  allow  their  flocks  to  go  to 
pasture  until  the  grass  and  other  herbage  is  dry.  While  this  view 
may  be  exaggerated,  many  of  our  breeders  follow  the  Turkish 
practice  with  excellent  results. 

The  Question  of  ^Vatering. 

Goats  do  not  drink  much  water,  but  what  they  do  drink  must 
be  clean.  They  have  an  inherent  abhorrence  of  filthy  water  and 
filthy  food.  A  running  stream  is  a  valuable  thing  in  a  pasture. 
If  that  is  not  present,  water  from  a  spring  or  well  should  be  af- 
forded. 

The  Question  of  Salting. 

Goats  require  more  ^■alt  than  sheep,  owing  to  the  more  as- 
tringent character  of  their  feed.  If  loose  salt  is  used,  the  general 
custom  is  to  give  it  once  a  week  on  regular  days.  If  rock  salt  is 
used,  it  should  be  placed  where  the  animal  can  get  to  it  at  any 
time.  Eock  salt  is  preferable,  as  it  can  be  placed  in  ])oxes  or 
troughs  raised  from  the  ground,  and  thus  be  kept  out  of  the  dirt 
and  be  of  easy  access  to  the  goats  at  any  time;  and,  too,  there  is 
no  waste  and  do  danger  that  the  animal  will  eat  too  much  of  it. 

The  Question  of  lUarliing. 

The  question  of  marking  is  always  proper.  Several  devices 
are  in  use,  but  the  metal  tag  in  the  ear  is  probably  best  known. 


126  AXCORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

A  practice  which  ai)])ei;rs  to  give  satisfaction  is  to  tattoo  tlie  niiiii- 
bers  into  the  oar,  using  indi-lihle  ink.  It  is  found  tluit  the  metal 
is  sometimes  pulled  out  by  the  brush. 

Kidding  and  tlio  Kid^. 

The  kidding  time  is  the-  most  important  in  the  life  of  the  goat. 
For  two  or  three  days  after  the  kids  are  dropped  they  are  exceed- 
ingly delicate,  and  there  will  be  no  future  success  unless  good  care 
is  given  at  this  time.  They  can  not  "rough  it"  at  this  period,  but 
will  die  from  very  little  exjjosure  or  neglect.  They  are  more  deli- 
cate for  a  few  weeks  than  lambs.  When  the  kids  are  large  enough 
to  follow  the  flock  they  have  constitutions  stronger  than  lambs  of 
like  age  and  are  able  to  care  for  themselves  very  well. 

The  proper  time  for  kids  to  arrive  is  in  the  spring,  about  the 
time  when  leaves  start  on  the  trees  and  bushes.  At  that  time 
there  is  milk-producing  food  for  the  doe,  and  the  weather  is  also 
warm  enough  to  favor  the  kids.  The  exact  time  may  be  governed, 
of  course,  by  the  service  of  the  bucks  and  will  be  earlier  in  lo- 
calities where  the  seasons  are  earlier.  If  the  kids  come  in  cold 
weather,  there  will  be  greater  difficulty  in  saving  them.  Warm 
stabling  must  also  be  provided,  and  the  does  will  require  extra 
feeding  in  order  that  they  may  supply  milk  for  the  kids. 

A  few  days  before  a  kid  is  due  the  doe  should  be  separated 
from  the  flock.  Some  breeders  would  put  her  in  a  pen  alone, 
while  others  would  put  as  many  as  20  in  one  pen.  If  the  facilities 
are  at  hand,  a  small  pen  for  each  doe  is  better,  for  the  reason  that 
the  doe  will  sooner  "own"  the  kid  and  there  will  be  less  danger 
of  injury  than  if  among  a  number.  A  doe  knows  her  kid  by  the 
sense  of  smell,  especially  when  it  is  young.  This  characteristic 
is  so  strong  that  some  breeders  assert  that  if  two  kids  of  different 
mothers  are  rubbed  together,  the  does  will  often  refuse  to  own 
them.  Whoever  cares  for  the  doe  at  kidding  time  will  find  it  an 
important  part  of  his  work  to  see  that  the  does  own  their  kids. 
This  difficulty  in  any  case  will  disappear  in  a  few  days,  and  it  will 
then  only  be  necessary  to  arrange  for  the  does  to  get  to  the  kids 
whenever  they  desire. 

If  kids  are  dropped  on  the  range  or  in  the  pasture,  they  must 
be  carried  home  and  special  care  given  to  see  that  the  does  are 
made  to  own  Ihem,  for  many  times  they  will  refuse.  A  lamb  will 
follow  its  mother  very  soon  after  it  is  dropped,  but  a  doe  will  hide 
her  kid  as  best  she  can  in  the  bushes  or  behind  a  stone  or  log 
and  leave  it  there  Avhile  she  goes  away  to  feed;  and  on  her  return 
she  expects  to  find  it  where  she  left  it. 

The  Mexican  method  of  handling  tlu'  kid  is  larg<>ly  ])ractict'd 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 


127 


in  Texas  and  New  j\rexioo  and  consists  of  "'staking,"  or  "toggling." 
the  kid.  When  the  kid  is  dropped,  take  it  to  a  protected  place 
(shed  or  barn),  seeing  to  it  that  the  doe  follows,  and  "stake  it 
out,"  or  "toggle"  it,  with  a  string  about  14  inches  long.  Tie  this 
string  to  one  leg,  changing  occasionally  to  the  other  legs  to  avoid 
lameness.  This  string  should  have  a  swivel  in  it  to  prevent  twist- 
ing, and  the  kids  should  be  carefully  watched  so  long  as  they  are 
so  tied,  which  will  be  from  seven  to  ten  days. 

The  does  should  remain  with  the  kids  until  they  leave  them 
of  their  own  accord  to  go  out  for  feed.  The  kids  may  then  be 
allowed  to  run  loose  in  a  pen  together  until  they  are  large  enough 
to  go  out  with  the  flock,  which  is  when  they  are  from  four  to  six 
Aveeks  old,  or  M'hen  they  are  able  to  jump  a  board  from  12  to  20 
inches  high  placed  across  the  gate.  The  height  of  this  board 
this  method  in  Nevada  for  more  than  twenty-five  years.  If  the 
restrains  the  kids  that  are  too  small  to  follow  the  flock  and  at  the 
same  time  enables  the  does  to  go  and  enme  as  they  please.     W.  G. 


THE   HUGHES   SEPARATING  BRIDGE. 


Hughes  &  Co.,  of  Hastings,  Tex.,  have  a  device  for  separating  the 
does  from  the  kids  which  is  better  than  the  board.  It  is  a  bridge, 
either  end  of  wliieh  drops  to  the  desired  height.  This  device 
enables  the  does  to  go  out  and  in  without  injuring  the  udder, 
which  is  apt  to  occur  where  they  have  to  jump  a  board. 

The  following  is  from  Dr.  W.  C.  Bailey,  one  of  the  best-known 
breeders  in  the  world :  "There  are  in  use  two  methods  of  handling 
kids  at  kidding  time;  namely,  the  corral  method  and  the  staking 
method.  Each  of  these  has  points  which  render  it  most  valuable 
under  certain  conditions  and  in  certain  localities. 

THE  COBRAL   IklETIlOD. 

"This  method  may  be  used  with  any  number  of  goats.  With 
various  modifications  and  adaptations  which  best  suit  the  size  of 
the  flock,  the  climatic  conditions,  the  facilities  for  feeding,  etc., 
it  mav  l)e  used  bv  the  beginner  with  success.     We  have  practiced 


128  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

herd  is  a  large  one,  say  1,000  head,  three  men  arc  required  to 
handle  the  goats  at  kidding  time.  The  service  of  the  bucks  is 
so  managed  that  the  kids  will  be  dropped  gradually  through  several 
weeks.  \t  the  height  of  the  season  we  expect  from  75  to  100  kids 
a  day.  "J'he  season  lasts  about  thirty  or  forty  days.  Fortunately, 
most  of  the  kids  are  dropped  in  the  daytime. 

"We  have  four  or  live  small  corrals,  fenced  with  36-inch  woven 
wire  and  large  enough  to  hold  50  does  and  their  kids.  The  doe 
should  be  allowed  plenty  of  room,  because  if  too  close  to  her  neigh- 
bor she  may  adopt  the  other  doe's  kid.  Besides,  these  small  corrals, 
two  large  ones  are  needed,  each  large  enough  to  hold  1,000  does. 
Along  the  fence  of  one  of  these  corrals  are  a  dozen  small  pens 
just  large  enough  to  hold  a  doe  and  kid.  At  the  gate  of  this 
corral  a  jump  board  is  placed.  This  jump  board  is  intended  to 
keep  back  those  kids  which  are  not  large  and  strong  enough  to 
jump  over  it.  A  2-inch  board  about  18  inches  high  will  answer 
the  purpose.  Another  device  sometimes  used  is  a  platform  open 
at  the  end,  so  that  the  kids  may  run  under  it  and  thus  avoid  being 
trampled  upon  when  the  goats  are  going  out  over  the  paltform. 

"The  small  corrals  may  be  made  of  panel  fence  and  located  in 
a  meadow  where  some  feed  is  afforded.  The  does  should  always 
have  some  kind  of  feed  at  kidding  time. 

"In  the  morning  the  flock  is  carefully  examined,  and  all  does 
which  show  signs  of  kidding  during  the  day  should  be  separated 
and  placed  in  one  of  the  small  corrals.  The  large  flock  is  now 
turned  out,  and  one  of  the  men  is  sent  with  them  with  instruc- 
tions to  take  the  herd  at  once  as  far  as  he  intends  to  go  for  feed 
that  day,  then  to  let  them  feed  over  a  limited  area  and  gradu- 
ally work  their  way  home.  A  few  does  will  drop  their  kids  on  the 
range,  and  the  herder  should  carefully  note  the  number  and  their 
location.  He  should  see  that  the  herd  does  not  feed  around  one 
of  these  does,  as  she  is  apt  to  leave  her  kid  and  join  the  band, 
thus  necessitating  much  extra  work  in  finding  the  kid  and  in 
giving  it  to  its  mother.  Karly  in  the  afternoon  the  l)and  is  placed 
in  one  of  the  large  corrals.  Xow  the  herder  and  another  man  go 
out  with  a  wagon  or  on  foot  and  carry  the  kids  home,  gently  dri- 
ving the  mothers.  The  kids  should  not  be  handled  or  rubbed 
against  one  another  more  than  is  necessary,  as  the  doe  knows  her 
kid  by  the  scent.  These  does  and  kids  are  placed  in  the  small 
corral  which  contains  the  does  held  back  in  the  morning  with 
the  expectation  that  they  would  kid  during  the  day.  We  now  have 
one  day's  kidding  in  one  of  the  small  corrals.  The  does  and  the 
kids  should  be  watched  to  see  that  they  are  properly  arranged. 
Do  not  bother  them  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary.    Do  not  be 


130  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

in  a  hurry  to  make  a  doe  own  a  kid.  Do  not  drive  the  goats  around 
one  of  the  small  pens. 

"The  does  should  remain  with  their  kids  in  the  corral  for  a  day 
or  two  at  least,  or  until  the  kids  are  properly  mothered.  Any  does 
which  have  not  kidded  should  be  taken  out.  The  next  morning 
any  kids  which  may  have  been  born  during  the  night  are  put  in 
another  small  corral  with  their  mothers,  as  well  as  the  does  which 
are  expected  to  kid  during  the  day.  The  procedure  of  the  previous 
day  is  repeated.  In  about  three  days,  if  one  has  limited  quarters, 
the  first  day's  mothers  and  kids  may  be  put  in  the  second  large 
corral ;  that  is,  the  one  with  the  jump  board  at  the  gate.  Now 
this  Svet'  band  is  placed  in  charge  of  one  of  the  men  and  sent 
out  to  feed.  The  gate  is  opened,  the  mothers  passing  out  over  the 
Jump  board,  and  the  kids  remain  in  the  corral.  The  herder  must 
not  range  his  goats  near  the  does  that  are  kidding  upon  the  range, 
and  he  should  be  cautioned  to  come  in  later  than  the  'dry'  band, 
so  as  to  avoid  any  possibility  of  their  mixing.  When  his  band  ar- 
rives at  the  corral  the  gate  is  opened,  and  each  mother  hunts  for 
her  kid.  Some  of  the  kids  may  not  find  their  mothers,  and  if 
after  a  day  or  two  there  are  a  few  unnourished  kids  and  some 
does  with  overdistended  udders  they  should  be  placed  together  in 
the  small  pens  along  the  side  of  the  corral.  The  doe  will  own  the 
kid  in  a  day  or  two,  whether  she  is  its  mother  or  not.  The  kids 
should  not  Jbe  allowed  to  become  too  weak  before  this  is  done.  If 
one  does  not  have  enough  small  pens,  a  doe  may  be  held  while 
two  or  three  kids  suckle  her,  and  thus  tide  them  over  until  some 
of  the  small  pens  are  vacant. 

"The  next  day  the  second  day's  kidding  is  added  to  the  wet 
band.  The  wet  band  thus  gradually  grows,  while  the  dry  band 
decreases.  During  the  day  two  men  will  be  employed  at  herding 
the  dry  and  wet  bands,  respectively,  and  the  third  man  will  be  kept 
busy  inspecting  the  kids,  feeding  the  does  in  confinement,  etc. 
If  the  weather  is  stormy  some  of  the  kids  will  have  to  be  sheltered. 
The  advisability  of  having  the  kids  dropped  gradually  through 
a  period  of  thirty  or  forty  days  will  readily  be  seen.  If  help  is 
inexperienced  they  may  be  gradually  trained,  or  if  the  weather  is 
stormy  there  will  be  time  to  get  all  things  arranged  properly. 

"The  kids  should  not  be  allowed  to  go  with  their  mothers  until 
they  are  about  six  or  eight  weeks  old.  If  they  go  l)efore  this,  they 
will  probably  become  tired  very  soon  and  go  to  sleep.  When  they 
awake  the  band  will  have  gone,  and  they  are  liable  to  be  lost. 
During  the  day,  while  the  mothers  are  feeding,  the  kids  would  eat 
a  little  grass  if  they  could  be  herded  near  the  corral. 

"As  stated  before,  there  may  be  many  modifications  of  this 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  131 

method  which  will  suggest  themselves,  but  the  above  is  a  general 
outline  of  a  method  commonly  in  use. 

THE   STAKIXG   METHOD. 

"This  method  is  largely  employed,  even  with  large  flocks,  in 
NeAV  Mexico,  but  is  possibly  ijest  suited  to  small  flocks.  It  is 
without  doubt  the  best  method  for  certain  surroundings.  About 
the  same  amount  of  help  will  be  required  as  with  the  corral  method. 
There  should  be  a  good  supply  of  stakes  similar  to  tent  stakes. 
There  should  also  be  a  supply  of  swivel  blocks  which  are  about 
4  inches  long  and  having  a  hole  bored  near  each  end.  A  piece 
of  rope  about  6  inches  long  is  fastened  to  the  stake,  and  the  other 
end  is  passed  through  one  of  the  holes  in  the  swivel  block  and  a 
knot  tied  in  the  end.  Another  piece  of  rope  of  equal  length  is 
likewise  knotted  and  passed  through  the  other  hole  of  the  swivel 
block,  the  loose  end  being  tied  to  the  kid's  leg.  Any  swivel  will 
take  the  place  of  this  primitive  method.  The  herder  or  owner 
can  busy  himself  during  the  winter  months  by  making  stakes  and 
swivels  and  by  cutting  and  attaching  the  ropes. 

"When  a  kid  is  born  it  is  taken  to  a  convenient  place  to  stake 
and  the  mother  is  gently  coaxed  to  follow.  The  stake  is  securely 
driven  into  the  ground,  and  the  kid  fastened  to  it  by  the  hind 
leg.  The  mother  is  left  with  the  kid,  in  order  that  she  may  know 
where  to  find  it  upon  returning  from  feeding.  The  kid  should  be 
staked  where  he  can  get  plenty  of  sunshine,  shade,  and  shelter. 
A  small  bush,  a  post,  or  a  box  will  answer  the  purpose  admirably. 
If  there  are  twins,  they  must  be  so  staked  that  they  can  suckle 
at  the  same  time.  The  rope  should  be  changed  from  one  hind  leg 
to  the  other  occasionally,  to  prevent  unequal  development.  Some- 
times a  vigorous  kid  gets  thoroughly  tangled  and  requires  help. 
The  kid  may  thus  be  staked  until  he  is  old  enough  to  go  with  the 
flock,  which  is  after  six  or  eight  Avccks,  or  he  may  be  put  in  a 
corral  a  few  days,  as  is  done  in  the  corral  method. 

"There  are  many  successful  breeders  who  use  this  method  en- 
tirely. One  may  expect  to  get  good  results  if  he  follows  either 
the  corral  or  staking  method  carefully." 

There  is  very  small  loss  among  kids  cared  for  as  set  forth  above. 
Many  of  the  breeders  on  a  large  scale  report  the  percentage  of 
increase  as  100.  This  does  not  mean  that  every  kid  lives,  but  that 
so  few  die  that  the  loss  is  offset  by  the  number  of  twins  that  are 
dropped.  The  most  practicable  fencing  to  be  used  at  kidding 
time  is  made  of  portable  panels.  By  the  use  of  these  panels  a  pen 
may  be  made  large  or  small  and  be  moved  from  one  place  to  an- 
other without  difificultv  and  with  verv  little  work. 


132  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

Weaning. — Kids  should  not  be  wcanod  until  thoy  are  4^  months 
old  unless  they  are  very  strong;  Imt  they  should  not  remain  with 
their  mothers  after  they  are  5  months  old.  This  especially  applies 
to  the  buck  kids,  as  they  will  often  breed  at  G  months  of  age  or 
even  younger. 

Castration. — The  buck  kids  not  reserved  for  breeding  purposes 
should  be  castrated  -when  about  2  weeks  old.  The  earlier  it  is 
done,  the  better  will  be  the  meat  and  the  mohair.  It  is  pointed  out 
in  previous  pages  that  the  mohair  from  wethers  ranks  with  that 
from  the  does,  and  the  flesh  is  superior  to  that  of  the  does  and 
inferior  only  in  small  degree  to  that  of  the  kids.  A  cool  day 
should  always  be  selected  for  the  operation  of  castration  and  careful 
attention  given  for  a  few  days. 

Notes  on  Kidding  from  rorrcspondents. 

As  kidding  is  the  most  critical  period  in  the  handling  of  goats, 
it  is  very  important  that  the  breeder,  especially  if  he  is  a  beginner, 
should  be  well  informed  on  this  matter.  It  therefore  seems  de- 
sirable to  quote  herewith  the  various  views  of  men  who  are  suc- 
cessful and  well-known  breeders. 

From  F.  0.  Landrum,  Laguna,  Tex. :  "'There  are  several  meth- 
ods of  handling  goats  during  kidding.  The  one  employed  here  is 
the  Mexican  plan.  When  the  kid  is  dropped  take  it  by  the  hind 
legs,  so  that  the  doe  will  follow,  to  where  you  want  to  stake  him. 
Stake  with  rope  about  12  inches  long,  with  wooden  swivel  in  cen- 
ter. Leave  them  staked  until  after  they  are  marked  and.  cas- 
trated and  well  owned  by  the  mother.  Sometimes  kids  are  herded 
with  their  mothers  and  sometimes  by  themselves  until  they  learn 
to  be  herded.  If  not  handled  properly  and  the  kids  are  allowed  to 
mix  together,  the  doe  loses  the  scent  of  her  kid.  and  young  docs 
will  often  disown  them." 

From  W.  0.  Hughes  &  Co.,  Hastings,  Tex.:  "We  keep  the 
nannie  and  kid  to  themselves  so  far  as  possible  for  a  day  or  so, 
and  do  not  allow  more  than  20  nannies  and  kids  in  the  same  pen 
until  the  kids  are  over  a  week  old,  nor  more  than  50  nannies  and 
kids  in  the  same  pen  until  2  weeks  old.  Kids  are  kept  in  the  pen 
day  and  night  until  a  month  old,  and  are  then  allowed  to  run 
outside  the  pen  during  the  day  to  eat  a  little;  the  feed  may  be 
furnished  them  in  the  form  of  cut  branches  if  there  are  no  bushes 
near  the  pen.  They  should  also  have  access  to  water  after  4  weeks 
old.  W^hen  6  weeks  old  they  can  go  out  Avith  the  flock  for  a  few 
hours  in  the  afternoon,  the  flock  being  brought  in  at  midday  for 
this  purpose.    After  8  weeks  they  can  go  regularly  all  day  with  the 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING.  133 

get  through  kidding  time  is  to  pi;t  all  the  does  that  arc  soon  to 
bring  kids  in  a  separate  small  pasture  where  they  can  be  looked 
up  easily.  In  case  of  bad  weather  they  should  be  brought  into 
their  shed  every  evening  before  sundown;  but  if  the  weather  is 
dry  and  not  too  cold  they  can  be  left  out,  and  all  the  does  will  likely 
own  their  kids.  Of  course,  the  kids  will  not  follow  their  mothers 
as  lambs  do,  but  will  lie  down  in  a  thicket  or  vmder  a  bush,  a 
weed,  a  log,  or  a  rock,  and  remain  there  till  the  mother  comes 
back  to  it,  even  if  it  should  have  to  wait  till  it  starved  to  death; 
but  after  a  kid  is  a  few  days  old  it  is  able  to  follow  its  mother, 
although  it  is  best  to  keep  the  kids  at  home.  Kids  need  not  suck 
oftener  than  twice  a  day." 

From  Josephus  K.  Barnette,  Globe,  Ariz. :  "T  cut  out  the  heavy 
ewes  from  the  rest  of  the  herd,  and  hold  them  in  a  close  herd,  and 
catch  the  kids  and  bring  them  with  their  mothers  to  the  corral, 
where  each  kid  is  staked  separately  with  a  toggle,  or  swivel,  being 
careful  to  see  that  the  mother  knows  where  the  kid  is.  After 
this  I  let  the  new  mothers  come  and  go  at  will,  only  noticing  them 
enough  to  see  that  they  come  to  their  kids  regularly.  The  kids 
should  be  watched  closely  in  order  that  they  may  not  get  tangled 
up  and  hurt.  When  they  are  about  2  weeks  old  they  are  turned 
loose  in  a  corral  and  a  "board  is  put  at  the  gate  over  which  the 
mothers  jump  in  going  to  and  from  their  kids.  When  the  kids 
are  3  months  old  they  may  be  allowed  to  go  with  the  herd." 

From  Col.  Wm.  I..  Black,  Fort  ]\rcKavett,  Tex. :  "This  is  the 
most  critical  period  in  the  handling  of  goats.  The  kids  are  gener- 
ally collected  daily,  as  soon  as  dropped  and  able  to  stand  and 
suckle  the  mothers,  and  are  conlned  in  a  corral  for  several  weeks, 
much  of  the  time  tied  to  a  stake  driven  into  the  ground.  It  is  not 
safe  to  let  them  run  with  the  flock  until  they  are  a  month  to  6 
weeks  of  age,  as  they  are  lial)le  to  drop  out  of  the  flock  and  be 
lost." 

From  H.  I.  Kimball,  Maxwell  City,  N.  Mex. :  "I  always  keep 
the  kids  in  a  corral  until  they  are  old  enough  to  follow  the  doe, 
which  is  when  they  are  about  30  days  old.  In  taking  the  kids 
to  the  corral  care  should  be  taken  to  get  nothing  on  them  that 
will  change  the  scent,  for  docs  are  very  sensitive.  If  two  kids 
from  different  does  are  rubbed  together,  the  does  will  often  refuse 
to  own  either  of  them.  All  kids  should  be  castrated  before  2 
weeks  old,  as  there  is  less  danger  and  they  do  not  get  so  sore." 

From  G.  M.  Scott,  Malta,  Idaho:  "Take  all  the  nannies  out 
from  the  other  goats  as  soon  as  they  kid,  and  put  them  by  them- 
selves. I  have  about  100  small  pens  in  which  I  put  the  nannies. 
Put  the  young  nannies  and  old  ones  in  different  pens.     Here  they 


134  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

flock.  Wc  use  a  l)ri(l<ro  for  llio  i)nrpoPo  of  'cutting  b.ack'  such  kids 
as  should  not  go  out  with  the  flock." 

From  H.  T.  Fuchs,  i\rarble  Falls,  Tex. :  "The  easiest  way  to 
remain  for  4  or  5  days  and  they  are  then  turned  into  a  larger  pen, 
but  not  more  than  50  should  be  put  together." 

From  Oscar  Tom,  Angora,  Oreg. :  "I  aim  to  have  a  field  of 
fall  grain  or  reserved  pasture  to  turn  the  does  in  a  few  days  before 
kidding  commences,  and  turn  the  does  in  another  pasture  as  fast 
as  they  drop  their  kids.  Keep  the  kids  up  about  2  weeks,  then  let 
them  go  with  their  mothers." 

From  Henry  Fink,  Leon  Springs,  Tex. :  "I  stake  the  kid  in  a 
barn  for  2  weeks.  The  mother  goes  out  in  the  daytime  to  feed 
and  is  put  with  the  kid  at  night.  After  2  weeks  the  kid  is  turned 
loose  and  kept  in  a  ])en  until  2  months  old,  when  it  is  allowed 
to  go  out  with  the  flock." 

Care  ol  tlie  Feet. 

The  toes  will  grow  to  a  great  length  and  turn  up  at  the  points, 
like  an  old-fashioned  skate,  if  they  are  not  trimmed.  They  will 
not  only  thus  become  a  nuisance  to  the  animal,  but  will  get  sore 
and  become  very  painful.  Where  the  goat  has  the  run  of  rocky 
land  or  land  that  is  sandy  to  a  considerable  extent,  hand  trim- 
ming will  not  be  necessary,  but  if  for  any  cause  the  toes  grow  too 
long,  they  should  be  pared  off  with  a  knife. 

Tf  the  soil  is  wet  much  of  the  time,  the  animals  are  liable  to  be 
attacked  with  foot  rot.  For  treatment  of  this  disease,  the  reader 
is  referred  to  the  chapter  on  "Diseases  and  other  enemies." 


CHAPTER  X. 

FLOCK    MANAGEMENT. 
The  Best  Flock. 

It  is  assumed  that  whoever  goes  into  the  business  of  raising 
Angora  goats  vrill  do  so  principally  for  the  production  of  mohair, 
rather  than  meat  or  skins,  and  therefore  it  is  to  his  interest  to 
possess  a  flock  that  will  yield  a  profit  from  Ihe  beginning.  The 
best  flock  for  this  purpose  is  one  composed  of  high  grades,  or 
thoroughbreds.  (There  are  no  purebred  Angora  goats,  so  far  as 
any"  one  knows.)  Such  a  flock  will  produce  good  mohair  from  the 
first.  There  is  a  great  difference  between  high-grade  goats — in 
length,  strength,  luster,  density,  and  fineness  of  fleece.  The  better 
these  qualities,  the  higher  will  be  the  price. 

Whoever  enters  upon  this  industry  will  shape  his  plans  to  con- 
form to  his  capital,  just  as  he  Avould  do  in  any  other  business.  If 
he  begins  with  high-grade  does,  they  will  cost  him  from  $5  to  $15 
each,  and  the  prices  of  good  bucks  range  from  $20  to  $100.  Ex- 
ceptionally excellent  bucks,  especially  winners  in  the  show  ring, 
will  bring  higher  prices.  A  large  flock  of  this  kind  of  animals, 
although  preferable,  Avould  cost  a  small  fortune,  and  so  be  beyond 
consideration  by  the  greater  number  of  people  who  will  engage 
in  the  industry. 

A  riock  from  Small  Be«;lnuing. 

A  plan  that  may  l)e  pursued  by  one  who  has  limited  capital 
is  to  begin  with  a  few  first-class  animals  and  from  these  build 
up  a  flock.  The  result  is  quite  sure  to  prove  satisfactory.  This 
may  be  the  Avisest  plan  for  the  beginner  to  follow,  as  experience, 
which  is  so  necessary  to  success,  will  be  gained  as  the  flock  in- 
creases. The  mohair  from  such  a  flock  will  bring  a  good  price  and 
the  kids  are  far  more  profitable  than  crossbreds. 

Crossing  Upon  the  Coiiimou  Does. 

It  is  observed  in  a  previous  chapter  of  this  book  that  many 
years  ago  the  Turks  began  the  practice  of  crossing  Angora  bucks 
upon  Kurd  does.  Thoy  had  in  mind  the  twofold  purpose  of  pro- 
ducing thereby  a  hardier  animal  than  the  purebred  Angora  and 


136  ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

of  incrca?infj  tlio  niimbor  of  fifoats  in  order  to  supply  tlie  increased 
demand  of  Europe  for  mohair.  The  practice  of  crossing  Angora 
bucks  upon  common  does  in  the  United  States  began  at  once  upon 
their  introduction,  and  the  results  have  been  satisfactor}^  in  that 
the  industry  was  thereby  saved  to  the  country.  It  is  probably 
a  safe  statement  that  if  our  supply  of  Angoras  had  depended  en- 
tirely upon  importations  and  their  offs^iring,  there  would  be  noth- 
ing here  now  worthy  to  bear  the  dignified  title  of  industry. 

]\Iost  of  the  large  flocks  of  the  Southwest  had  ^Mexican  does  for 
their  foundation,  but  it  is  a  most  encouraging  sign  of  the  times  that 
the  practice  is  not  followed  any  more  except  to  a  limited  extent. 
The  country  has  no  further  need  of  such  crosses,  and  it  is  desirable 
that  the  practice  cease  altogether.  The  advantage  claimed  for 
crossing  upon  common  does  is  that  good  does  may  be  purchased 
at  $1.50  to  $2.50  each ;  that  during  the  first  and  second  crosses 
there  are  many  twins,  thus  increasing  the  flock  in  that  proportion — 
a  condition  not  existing,  except  to  a  small  extent,  among  the  high- 
est bred  Angoras;  and  the  size  and  hardiness  of  the  progeny  are 
increased  and  the  liability  to  disease  decreased. 

Care  should  be  exercised  in  starting  a  Hock  by  this  method  to 
select  only  such  common  does  as  are  entirely  white ;  any  other  color, 
however  slight,  is  objectiona])lc.  There  should  be  no  dark  spots 
on  the  skin.  The  oftsin-ing  from  such  animals  might  prove  satis- 
factory, hut  the  ])rol)ahilities  are  to  the  contrary.  In  handling 
crosses,  the  breeder  finds  tliat  atavism,  or  reversion  of  type,  often 
becomes  a])])arent  when  it  is  most  objectionable. 

It  is  also  necessary,  in  onler  to  insure  best  results,  that  the 
common  docs  should  have  as  short  liair  as  it  is  possible  to  obtain 
it.  This  hair  (known  in  the  Angora  fleece  as  kemp)  will  be  cor- 
respondingly shoit  in  the  crosses.  Crosses  upon  long-haired  does 
will  oftentimes  exhibit  kemp  from  two  to  four  inches  long.  This 
means  a  heavy  shrinkage  in  noilagc  when  tlie  mohair  reaches  the 
manufacturer. 

The  buck  used  upon  these  does  and  upon  all  the  crosses  should 
be  the  best  one  .can  afi'ord.  A  ])oor  buck  will  defeat  the  object  of 
the  breeder.  It  must  l)e  remembered  that  the  excellence  of  mohair 
which  is  in  view  must  be  contributed  entirely  by  the  buck.  All 
male  crosses  for  many  generations  (a  dozen  would  not  be  too  many 
unless  kemp  should  disappear)  should  be  castrated  and  prepared 
for  slaughter  as  soon  as  large  enough. 

The  l)uilding  up  of  a  flock  of  Angoras  by  the  practice  of  cross- 
ing upon  common  does  is  not  so  rapid  as  many  suppose.  Let  it  be 
assumed  that  we  have  a  flock  of  100  common  does  which  drop 
as  many  kids  the  first  season.     Half  of  these  are  bucks,  leaving 


138  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

50  does  for  the  next  cross.  These  50  drop  50  kids,  25  of  which 
are  does;  the  next  cross  would  give  12  or  13,  and  the  fifth  cross  6. 
This  last  number  represents  approximately  the  number  of  high- 
grade  does  that  would  result  each  }-ear  from  a  flock  of  100  common 
does  at  the  beginning. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  fifth  or  sixth  cross  as  being  high  grades, 
and  so  they  are;  but  they  are  far,  very  far,  from  being  purebreds, 
and  it  is  probably  giving  them  too  much  credit  for  excellence  to 
call  them  thoroughbreds.  A  purebred  Angora  should  not  have 
any  kemp  whatever.  How  long  time  may  be  necessary  to  produce 
a  kempless  Angora  from  crossing  upon  common  stock  no  one  will 
venture  to  say.  Instances  have  been  reported  where  kemp  was 
still  in  evidence  after  twelve  crosses. 

"\ATiile  the  purpose  of  the  above  paragraphs  is  to  tell  why  cross- 
ing upon  common  stock  is  resorted  to  and  how  it  is  done,  it  is  a 
practice  to  be  discouraged  at  this  time.  The  Angora  goat  breeders 
are  just  now  doing  their  utmost  to  produce  kempless  animals,  and 
this  crossing  is  persistently  working  against  their  purposes.  Every 
drop  of  common  blood  adds  trouble  extending  over  many  years. 

Proper  Age  for  Breeding. 

Goats  of  both  sexes  will  sometimes  breed  when  they  are  5 
months  old,  and  often  at  6  months,  but  from  the  fact  that  they 
are  at  this  age  but  a  month  or  two  from  weaning  time  and  are  not 
nearly  full  grown,  it  is  obvious  that  they  should  not  be  permitted 
to  breed.  They  reach  maturity  when  about  16  or  18  months  old, 
and  they  ought  not  to  breed  before  this  time.  ]f  bred  earlier  the 
kids  will  not  be  so  strong  or  so  well  developed.  They  are  in  their 
prime  when  from  2  to  G  years  old,  but  with*  proper  feeding  in 
winter  they  have  been  known  to  breed  regularly  until  15  years  old. 
The  average  life  of  goats,  however,  is  about  12  years.  There  should 
be  no  tendency  to  keep  does  until  they  are  very  old  unless  thev 
bring  kids  of  exceptional  merit,  for  it  must  be  remembered  that 
their  mohair  gets  coarser,  and  conseqiiently  less  valuable,  as  they 
grow  older.  Old  does  make  very  good  mutton  if  fattened  on 
grain,  or  if  a  good  portion  of  their  feed  is  grain.  The  cooking  re- 
quires a  little  more  time  than  for  young  animals. 

The  accompanying  illustration  shows  how  the  age  of  goats  may 
be  determined  until  they  are  four  years  old.  After  that,  in  the 
absence  of  definite  information,  the  age  is  a  mere  matter  of  guess, 
based  upon  the  general  appearance  of  the  animal.  The  new  teeth 
are  longer  and  larger. 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 


139 


Fifth    Yelar 
the  age  shown  by  the  teeth. 


In-and-in  Breeding. 

In-and-in  l)recding  moans  the  breeding  of  related  individuals. 
The  term  is  indefinite,  and  with  some  refers  to  a  close  relation- 
ship and  with  others  to  any  degree  of  relationship.  Extensive  cor- 
respondence with  the  goat  raisers  of  the  United  States  shows  that 
with  them  the  term  means  generally  the  breeding  of  individuals 
of  close  relationship. 

There  is  an  overwhelming  sentiment  against  the  practice  be- 
cause of  the  injurious  result  to  the  constitution  of  the  offspring. 
It  is  quite  generally  agreed,  however,  that  in-and-in  breeding  will 
produce  a  fleece  of  finest  fiber,  having  beautiful  luster  and  little 
oil,  but  the  Aveight  will  be  reduced.  The  few  who  favor  the  prac- 
tice contend  that  the  quality  more  than  offsets  the  quantity.  The 
offspring  of  related  animals  are  not  so  large  and  strong  as  those 
which  are  not  related ;  they  are  quite  delicate  and  naturally  more 
subject  to  disease.  Tlie  fact  must  not  be  overlooked,  however, 
that  John  S.  Harris,  of  Salem,  Oreg.,  has  followed  in-and-in 
breeding  continuously  and  with  evident  success,  and,  too,  they  are 


140  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

kept  in  a  climate  wlicre  the  temperature  in  winter  is  sometimes 
far  below  zcvo.  But  ?.Ir.  Harris  is  a  gentleman  who  understands 
the  art  of  breeding.  If  all  goat  raisers  knew  so  well  the  prin- 
ciples of  breeding  as  he  does,  there  might  not  be  so  many  to  con- 
demn the  practice.  However,  they  have  learned  much  by  experi, 
ence,  and  it  can  not  be  contended  that  they  are  wrong  in  advising 
generally  against  the  practice. 

ITIanagement  of  the  Buck. 

Bucks  usually  come  in  heat  about  the  middle  of  July  and  con- 
tinue so  about  six  months;  does,  however,  do  not  usually  come 
in  heat  until  the  latter  part  of  August  or  the  first  of  September. 
As  the  period  of  gestation  in  goats  is  from  147  to  155  days  (or 
about  five  months),  care  must  be  taken  in  mating  the  animals  to 
have  the  kids  dropped  in  proper  season,  which  will  vary  some- 
what with  the  locality.  The  kids  should  not  come  before  the  warm 
days  of  spring  or  when  vegetation  begins  to  put  out  vigorously. 
Therefore  the  buck  should  be  ])ut  to  service  from  November  1  to 
December  1,  so  that  the  kids  will  come  about  the  first  of  April  or 
May.  The  only  objection  to  earlier  kidding  is  the  extra  care  re- 
quired to  preserve  the  life  of  the  kids,  for  they  are  exceedingly 
delicate  for  a  few  days,  as  has  been  stated  before,  and  even  a  little 
cold  at  this  season  will  probably  prove  fatal. 

A  buck,  like  any  other  domestic  animal,  should  be  in  the  best 
possible  condition  when  put  to  service.  He  should  be  well  fed 
with  grain  for  a  few  weeks  before  this  time,  and  the  feeding  should 
be  kept  up  until  a  few  weeks  after  his  service  is  ended. 

As  to  the  number  of  does  which  a  buck  may  serve,  there  is  a 
great  diversity  of  o])inion.  The  greater  number  of  goat  raisers, 
however,  think  40  or  50  is  all  that  may  be  served  with  good  re- 
sults. Col.  Eichard  Peters  wrote  that  he  had  obtained  the  best 
results  with  200  breeding  does  by  turning  in  with  them  ten  se- 
lected bucks.  His  object  was  to  have  the  kids  come  as  nearly  at 
one  time  as  possible,  thus  shortening  the  period  of  careful  watch- 
ing. Referring  to  Colonel  Peters's  practice,  Dr.  J.  R.  Standley  says 
he  regards  it  a  great  success,  and  will  adopt  it  in  the  future.  He 
says,  further:  "I  have  tried  the  one-service  system,  also  turning 
in  bucks  at  night,  removing  thcMu  during  the  day,  and  other  plans, 
but  decidedly  prefer  Colonel  Peters's  plan." 

Where  there  are  very  large  flocks  it  is  not  always  desirable  that 
the  kids  should  all  come  at  one  time.  If  they  are  dropped  at  inter- 
vals for  a  month,  one  attendant  may  thus  be  enabled  to  look  after 
a  large  number,  whereas  if  all  come  about  the  same  time,  one 
attendant  could   not   do   the   work,   and   assistants   who   mav  be 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  141 

strangers  to  the  flock  would  be  necessary.  (It  is  not  well  to  have 
many  strangers  with  these  goats  at  any  time,  and  certainly  not  at 
kidding  time.) 

The  handling  of  "riginals"  (ridgels)  should  have  a  word  here. 
If  the  one  testicle  which  descends  is  removed,  the  riginal  will  not 
o-et  kids,  but  he  will  bother  the  does.  If  the  descended  testicle  is 
Sot  removed,  he  will  breed  without  difficulty.  He  should  be  killed 
as  soon  as  practicable. 

Number  of  Kids. 

Thoroughbred  Angora  goats  do  not  generally  drop  more  than 
one  kid  at  a  time,  while  the  common  goats  nearly  always  drop  two 
or  three.  There  are  many  twins  with  the  first  cross,  but  the 
number  of  twins  diminishes  as  the  crosses  become  higher.  It  is 
stated  that  the  purebred  Angoras  never  dropped  but  one  at  a  time, 
and  that  the  presence  of  twins  in  a  flock  is  evidence  of  a  base 
origin  of  the  goats.  The  latter  statement  is  disputed  by  some, 
who  believe  that  the  purebred  Angora  (having  no  trace  whatever 
of  base  blood)  will  drop  twins  as  regularly  as  the  common  goat. 
This  is  a  point  that  is  liable  to  remain  in  dispute,  as  there  is  no 
way  to  settle  it.  ,  i      x  j 

In  the  Southwest,  where  most  of  the  large  flocks  are  located 
and  where  no  particular  care  is  given  the  goats  on  most  ranches, 
the  average  percentage  of  kids  is  about  70.  In  other  places,  where 
such  care  is  given  the  does  at  kidding  time  as  they  ought  to  have, 
the  increase  may  easily  be  100  per  cent.  There  are  instances  of 
the  increase  reaching  as  high  as  120  per  cent.  Good  handling  of 
a  flock  anywhere  ought  to  give  a  kid  for  every  doe  of  the  flock. 

Size  of  Flocks. 

All  goat  raisers  agree  that  Angoras  can  not  stand  crowding 
together;  and  the  higher  the  grade  of  the  goats  the  more  suscepti- 
ble are  they  to  injury  from  crowding. 

Special  stress  should  be  laid  upon  this  matter  of  crowding,  tor 
it  is  more  serious  than  many  people  will  be  inclined  to  thmk. 
They  will  argue  that  goats  ought  to  stand  what  sheep  and  hogs  do 
in  this  respect,  but  the  fact  is  they  will  not  stand  it.  Let  no  one 
crowd  his  animals,  and  be  convinced  of  his  error  when  he  finds 
a  half  dozen  dead  ones  in  his  goat  shed  some  morning.  Goats 
require  much  fresh  air  and  it  must  be  afforded  them.  Many  who 
have  taken  groats  from  the  South  to  the  North  have  worked  injury 
to  their  flocks  when  attempting  a  kindness  by  providing  barns 
.  too  warm,  without  sufficient  ventilation.  For  well-fleeced  goats 
drv  barns  are  needed  more  than  very  warm  ones. 


142  ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

To  stat(>  just  how  many  should  Ijo  kept  in  a  flock  is  difficult, 
as  the  number  depends  upon  the  character  of  their  restraint. 
Where  they  have  the  range  at  day  and  large  yards  at  night,  the 
flocks  may  be  very  large,  but  where  they  have  pasturage  and  small 
pens  at  night  the  flock  must  not  be  large.  It  is  stated  by  some 
that  goats  in  small  flocks  shear  more  than  those  running  in  large 
flocks.     A  flock  ought  not  to  exceed  2,000  in  number. 

Deborning. 

Deliorning  the  goats  has  received  very  little  consideration,  and 
it  is  probable  that  Q.  M.  Beck,  of  Beargrove,  Iowa,  is  the  only  goat 
raiser  who  is  now  practicing  it.  ]\Iany  oi;her  breeders  report  that 
they  do  not  dehorn  but  believe  it  practicaljle,  while  a  very  few  ex- 
press opposition  to  the  practice.  Mr.  Beck  writes  as  follows: 
"I  dehorned  45  head  last  fall  (1890)  and  found  it  a  success,  a.-? 
it  stops  a  great  deal  of  bunting,  which  is  liable  to  cause  abortion, 
saves  shed  room,  saves  broken  legs,  and  will  save  many  kids."  These 
same  reasons  have  brought  the  dehorning  of  cattle  in  quite  general 
favor  among  breeders,  and  it  is  probable  that  as  the  Angora  goat 
industry  grows  into  a  large  industry  the  practice  of  relieving  the 
goats  of  their  civilized  weapons  of  warfare  will  be  generally 
adopted.    Mr.  Beck  dehorns  in  the  fall  after  all  flies  are  gone. 

A  different  view  of  the  C[uestion  of  dehorning  is  taken  by  C.  P. 
Bailey  &  Sons  Co.,  who  dehorned  250  head  which  were  in  a  band 
by  themselves.  They  bunted  as  much  or  more  than  before  the 
horns  were  removed.  "Goats  always  butt  each  other,  but  we  have 
never  seen  any  ill  effects  resulting,  except  occasionally  a  leg  being 
broken  from  being  caught  between  the  horns.  It  deprives  them 
of  their  only  means  of  defense,  and  we  consider  it  unnecessary  and 
objectionable." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

SHEARING,  SHEARS,  AND  SHEDDING. 
Shearing  Once  or  Twice  a  Year. 

In  Texas,  New  Mexico,  Arizona,  and  sometimes  in  California 
slioaring  is  done  twice  a  year — in  the  months  of  March  or  April 
and  in  September  or  October.  The  reasons  for  this  are  that  the 
fleece  will  often  shed  in  the  fall  as  well  as  in  the  spring,  if  it  is 
not  clipped  owing  to  the  long  warm  season.  H.  T.  Fuchs,  of 
Texas,  says:  "I  find  it  quite  necessary  to  shear  twice  a  year,  as 
they  sufl'er  too  much  from  heat  in  the  summer  and  autumn  and 
even  during  the  warm  days  in  winter  if  they  are  not  sheared  about 
the  middle  of  September,  and  in  the  springtime  as  soon  as  they 
begin  to  shed  their  long  silky  hair."  There  are  occasional  in- 
stances in  these  localities  where  goats  carry  their  fleece  through  the 
year,  but  all  l^reeders,  except  in  some  parts  of  California,  repon 
the  practice  of  shearing  twice  a  3^ear.  In  the  other  parts  of  the 
country  shearing  is  done  but  once  a  year,  and  that  in  the  months 
of  March  or  April.  The  rule  for  shearing  time  does  not  depend 
so  much  upon  the  calendar  as  upon  the  condition  of  the  fleece.  It 
should  not  be  delayed  until  the  fiber  begins  to  shed,  as  then  the  oil 
will  begin  to  go  back  into  the  body  of  the  animal,  the  mohair  thus 
losing  its  life  and  luster.  After  goats  once  begin  to  shed,  the 
loss  of  mohair  is  considerable.  A  bit  of  the  fleece  may  be  caught 
upon  a  twig  or  thorn  or  silver  and  be  pulled  out.  When  the  hair 
is  not  shedding  the  goat  is  very  careful  about  its  hair,  for  it  gives 
pain  to  have  it  pulled;  but  when  it  is  shedding  the  skin  itches, 
and  every  effort  will  be  made  to  rid  itself  of  the  fleece. 

As  to  the  relative  values  of  the  semiannual  and  annual  fleeces, 
there  does  not  seem  to  l)e  much  difference  of  opinion.  The  semi- 
annual fiber  is  shorter  and  therefore  less  desiral)le  for  fabricating, 
and  the  price  is  not  so  high  as  for  that  of  the  annual  fleece.  It 
is  generally  agreed  that  the  two  shearings  combined  weigh  a  little 
more  than  the  annual  shearing,  but  probably  the  increase  does  not 
average  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  pound.  However,  some  who 
have  practiced  it  report  that  the  gain  is  not  equal  to  the  cost  of  the 
second  shearing,  and  that  shearing  twice  is  done  from  necessity 
ratlier  than  from  the  standpoint  of  profit. 


144  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

It  is  well  to  keep  in  mind  the  fact  that  our  mohair  manufac- 
turers have  never  yet  been  able  to  secure  all  the  long  staple  that 
they  needed,  but  at  the  same  time  the  market  has  always  been 
overstocked  with  the  shorter  staple.  This  is  especially  true  of  the 
mohair  which  is  not  over  four  inches  in  length.  Much  of  the  semi- 
annual shearing  is  not  so  short  as  this  and  so  brings  a  better  price 
in  a  more  certain  market. 

Use  of  Clipping  Macblnos. 

The  use  of  clipping  machines,  although  largely  employed  among 
large  sheep  raisers,  has  not  yet  come  into  general  use  among  goat 
raisers.  Those  who  have  used  them  indorse  them,  a-nd  they  will  no 
doubt  soon  come  into  general  use.  They  are  more  rapid  than  hand 
work,  and  the  results  are  more  satisfactory.  The  cutting  of  the 
skin  is  easily  avoided  in  reasonably  careful  hands,  while  it  requires 
extreme  care  with  hand  shears  to  prevent  cutting.  Mr.  H.  T.  Kim- 
ball, of  New  Mexico,  says  of  the  use  of  the  machines :  "I  sheared 
them  [the  goats]  myself  faster  than  the  best  hand  shearer  I  ever 
saw,  and  I  got  a  better  price  for  my  mohair."  Another  gentle- 
man says:  "I  will  say  that  the  clipping  machine  for  sheep  will 
work  well  on  goats  in  every  respect.  T  have  sheared  ten  goats  in 
one  hour  and  done  up  the  fleeces."  The  power  machines  may  op- 
erate any  number  of  shears,  all  of  which  are  connected  with  the 
driving  shaft.  The  same  machine,  with  one  pair  of  the  same  kind 
of  shears,  is  made  for  operation  by  hand  power.  A  man  or  a  boy 
of  good  strength  may  easily  operate  this  machine,  while  another 
applies  the  shears  to  the  goat  or  sheep.  The  machine  is  not  ex- 
pensive, and  goat  men  generally  will  find  it  to  be  to  their  advantage 
to  use  it. 

Of  course,  the  goat  raiser  will  consider  the  relative  cost  of 
shearing  with  machines  and  by  hand  before  he  will  i)urchase  a 
machine.  The  decision  will  probably  depend  upon  the  number. 
The  cost  of  hand  shearing  is  about  4  cents  a  head.  In  the  South- 
west there  are  Mexicans  who  follow  the  profession  of  shearing  sheep 
and  goats;  these  usually  receive  2  cents  a  head  with  their  board. 
Many  of  them  will  shear  85  or  90  a  day,  the  average  of  all  being 
about  60.  Any  man  who  can  shear  slieep  can  shear  goats.  If 
shearing  is  done  by  hand,  a  short-bladed  shear  should  be  used  in 
order  to  avoid  cutting  the  hair  twice. 

Another  objection  to  hand  shearing  is  that  there  is  often  dmiljlc 
cutting  of  the  hair.  The  results  are  a  shortening  of  the  iihov  and 
an  increased  amount  of  noilage. 

The  shears  used  for  goats,  both  hand  and  machine,  are  th-? 
same  as  those  used  for  shearing  sheep.     It  is  much  easier  for  the 


^ 

^'            .^^tf~ 

f  "S 

n 

pp 

#  ;■ 

POWER  AND  HAND  SHEARING  MACHINES. 
Manufactured  by  the  Allen  Sheep  Shearing  Machine  Co.,  Chicago. 


146 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 


shearer   and   more  luiinanc  to   the  go;it   if    the   i^hears  are  always 

sharp. 

Tlie  Operation  of  Shearing;. 

Goats  are  not  so  gentle  in  the  hands  of  the  shearer  as  sheep, 
and  many,  especially  among  heginners  in  the  industry,  are  anxious 
to  know  how  best  to  handle  them  during  the  operation  of  shearing. 
The  illustration  presented  here  is  of  a  combination  shearing 
trough  and  table,  and  was  devised  by  F.  W.  Ludlow,  of  Lake  Val- 
ley, N.  Mex.     This  table  is  very  simple  and  is  equally  suited  to 


LUDLOW  COMBINATION  SHEARING  TABLE. 

hand  and  machine  shearing.  It  is  first  used  in  the  shape  of  a 
trough.  The  goat  is  placed  in  it  on  its  back  and  held  down  by 
means  of  an  iron  yoke  across  the  throat.  While  in  this  position 
all  the  underparts,  sides,  and  legs  may  be  worked  upon.  Mr.  Lud- 
low says  that  in  machine  shearing  it  is  a  good  plan  to  start  at  the 
brisket  and  shear  all  the  l)elly  as  far  back  as  possible;  then  shear 
the  front  legs  and  neck ;  then  start  at  the  hocks  and  shear  up  the 
hind  legs  and  along  the  sides  to  the  point  of  beginning.  After 
shearing  one  of  the  sides  allowed  by  the  trough,  the  goat  is  tied — 
"hog-tied,"  to  use  a  Western  expression ;  that  is,  all  four  feet  are 
tied  together.  The  sides  of  the  trough  are  now  dropped,  forming 
a  table  upon  which  to  finish  the  operation.  The  illustration  shows 
that  there  is  now  free  access  from  the  tail  to  the  head,  and  the  goat 
rem.ains  helpless.     In  the  illustration  the  fleece  already  cut  has 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 


147 


been  pulled  awa}'  in  order  that  the  table  might  be  shown,  but 
the  proper  course  is  to  leave  all  the  fleece  upon  the  table  until 
the  goat  is  liberated,  and  then  roll  it  up  inside  out. 

Mr.  Ludlow's  description  of  this  table  is  given  herewith:  "The 
table  is  simple  in  construction.  It  is  about  2S  inches  high,  2  feef 
10  inches  long,  and  21  inches  wide.    The  top  is  composed  of  two 


9-inch  sides,  which  are  hinged  to  the  3-inch  centerpiece.  On  the 
lower  side  of  these  movable  flaps  is  a  narrow  piece  8  inches  long, 
which  catches  on  the  framework  of  the  table  when  the  sides  arc 
lifted  and  holds  them  stationary.  When  the  sides  are  elevated,  the 
top  of  the  table  forms  a  trough  3  inches  wide  at  the  bottom  and 
possibh^  a  foot  wide  at  the  top.  Into  this  trough  the  goat  to  be 
shorn  is  thrown  feet  up.  A  small  iron  yoke,  which  is  attached  to 
the  end  of  one  of  the  sides,  is  placed  over  the  goat's  neck  and 
fastened  to  the  other  side.  The  goat's  head  is  hanging  over  the 
end  of  the  tal)le  and  the  yoke  prevents  it  getting  free.    The  belly 


148 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAIDING 


and  legs  are  then  sliorn.  The  legs  of  the  goat  are  then  tied  to- 
gether, the  yoke  removed  from  the  neck,  and  the  sides  of  the  table 
dropped,  so  that  one  has  a  piano  surface  on  which  to  shear  the  rest 
of  the  animal.  An  untrained  man  can  shear  100  goats  a  day  with 
a  shearing  machine  and  such  a  table."  Since  j\Ir.  Ludlow  wrote 
the  above,  a  ]\Iexican  in  his  employ  sheared   "?■?()  goats  in  eight 


hours  and  fifteen  minutes 
record  for  goat  shearing. 


this   till. 


ids  as  the  world's 


"W ashing  tlie  Goats  Before  Shearing. 

If  ihe  animals  have  been  well  cared  for  througli  tlic  winter 
and  early  spring,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  wash  them  before 
shearing.  And  yet  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  have  a  flock  where 
all  or  any  considerable  numl)er  of  them  are  clean  enough  to  shear 
without  washing,  and  it  will  be  time  and  money  well  spent  to  put 
them  through  the  water.  Most  goat  men  do  not  wash  their  goats 
before  shearing  and  this  is  the  reason  why  so  much  very  foul  mo- 


GOAT  CLIPPING  MACHINE. 
Manufactured  by  Chicag-o  Flexible  Shaft  Co.,  Chicago. 


SHEARING  PLANT.  USING  STEWART  SHEAR. 
Made  by  Chicago  Flexible  Shaft  Co.,  Chicago. 


150  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

hair  is  tlirown  upon  tlic  market.  Some  goat  men,  like  many  sheep 
men,  harbor  the  foolish  notion  that  the  mohair  buyer  is  going  to 
pay  them  just  as  much  for  their  dirty  mohair  as  for  that  which  is 
comparatively  clean.  On  the  contrary,  they  are  liable  to  be  of- 
fered less  than  it  is  really  worth. 

Care  of  the  Fleece  After  !Sliearing. 

The  operation  of  shearing  should  be  done  in  a  building  free 
from  straw  and  dirt,  which  miglit  adhere  to  the  fleece  after  it  drops 
from  the  goat.  It  sliould  then  be  rolled  up,  inside  out,  and  packed 
in  the  sack  without  being  tied  in  any  way.  This  is  the  manner  iu 
which  the  mills  desire  to  receive  it.  The  practice  of  tying  the 
fleece  with  almost  any  kind  of  twine  that  may  be  at  hand  obtains 
very  largely  among  goat  raisers  in  the  United  States,  but  not  with 
those  of  Turkey  and  Cape  Colony.  The  reasons  why  the  mill 
operators  do  not  desire  fleeces  tied  are  very  forcibly  stated  by  one 
of  them  (George  B.  Goodall),  as  follows:  "I  want  to  mention 
another  evil  Avhich  should  be  corrected,  and  that  is  the  use  of 
twine  or  string  around  the  fleeces.  Vegetable  fibers  will  not  take 
dyes  used  for  animal  fibers,  and  in  cutting  these  strings  by  the 
sorters  more  or  less  of  the  vegetable  fibers  get  into  the  mohair  and 
have  to  be  carefully  burled  out  from  the  face  of  the  finished 
goods,  which  adds  to  the  cost  of  each  piece.  A  mohair  should  be 
simply  rolled  up  without  twine  of  any  description.  You  never  see 
it  on  Turkey  or  Cape  mohair." 

Previous  to  the  year  1903  the  manufacturers  complained  bit- 
terly of  the  practice  of  many  shippers  of  mohair  tying  fleeces 
with  all  sorts  of  dirty  and  frowsy  twine.  Some  even  used  baling 
wire;  and  the  instances  were  not  rare  where  stones  and  clods 
weighing  several  pounds  were  found  in  the  sacks.  These  were  no 
doubt  placed  there  to  make  additional  weight,  and  they  did:  but 
the  mohair  buyer  does  not  pay  the  freight,  neither  does  he  buy 
without  careful  examination  of  every  sack,  so  the  loss  falls  directly 
back  upon  the  shipper.  For  the  year  1903  the  mohair  buyers  of 
American  mohair  state  that  there  have  been  no  flagrant  efforts  at 
fraud  by  such  schemes. 

After  the  fleece  is  taken  from  the  goat,  it  should  be  spread  out 
upon  a  clean  table,  as  stated  before,  and  all  foreign  particles  care- 
fully removed.  The  fleece  is  apt  to  contain  straws,  pieces  of  briers, 
burs,  and  sometimes  even  cockleburs,  and  all  these  should  be  taken 
out  before  the  fleece  is  rolled  up.  While  this  procedure  is  neces- 
sarily tedious  and  to  some  may  appear  useless,  it  will  pay.  This 
work  must  be  done  somewhere,  and  wherever  it  is  done  the  mo- 
hair producer  pays  for  it  either  directly  or  indirectly.     As  labor 


HAND  AND  POWER  SHEARING  MACHINES. 
Manufactured  by  the  Cooper  Shearing  Machine  Co.,  Chicago. 


152  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

on  the  farm  and  ranch  is  cheaper  than  that  in  the  mills,  it  would 
better  be  done  there. 

Some  have  adopted  the  practice  of  baling  their  mohair  instead 
of  using  the  old-fashioned  sack ;  Init  the  baling  is  not  so  satisfactory 
to  the  manufacturers  as  the  sack,  and  it  will  therefore  probably 
not  be  generally  adopted. 

The  Qnestion  of  Sbeddlng. 

The  question  of  shedding  is  not  now  provoking  so  much  dis- 
cussion as  it  did  two  or  three  years  ago.  There  were  a  few  breed- 
ers who  maintained  that  purebreds  and  thoroughbreds  would  not 
shed  their  coats  under  natural  conditions;  there  were  others  who 
asserted  that  they  would  shed  biennially ;  others  who  maintained 
that  the  matter  of  shedding  and  nonshedding  was  a  question  of 
feed  and  care  and  still  others  who  stoutly  affirmed  that  it  is  per- 
fectly natural  for  the  Angora  to  drop  his  fleece  annually,  and  when 
he  does  not,  it  is  the  exception,  not  the  rule,  which  obtains.  This 
last  view  is  rapidly  coming  to  he  generally  accepted  by  the  breed- 
ers; at  the  same  time,  they  acknowledge  that  there  are  some  indi- 
viduals that  carry  their  fleece  two  years.  This  characteristic  of  the 
individual,  however,  is  not  believed  to  be  applicable  to  any  partic- 
ular strain ;  it  is  only  an  incident. 

As  a  rule,  Angora  goats,  like  sheep,  shed  their  fleece  annually 
as  soon  as  the  warm  weather  of  spring  opens  up.  In  the  Southern 
States,  it  is  found  that  they  will  shed  twice  a  year,  and  it  is  for  this 
reason  that  semiannual  shearing  is  practiced  there. 


CHAPTER  Xn, 

DISEASES    AND   OTHER    ENEMIES. 

Goats  are  less  subject  to  a  variety  of  diseases  than  sheep,  yet 
there  are  some  diseases  that  appear  to  affect  both  alike.  The  two 
animals  are  so  closely  allied  that  treatment  for  disease  is  about  the 
same  for  both. 

Stomach  worms  (Strongylus  contortus)  affect  goats  as  readily 
as  sheep.  They  are  also  found  in  cattle  and  deer.  In  discussing 
this  disease,  the  attention  of  goat  raisers  is  called  to  some  experi- 
ments conducted  in  Texas  only  quite  recently  by  Dr.  Ch.  Wardell 
Stiles,  then  zoologist  of  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry.  As  this 
is  an  important  and  somewhat  extensive  disease,  and  as  great  care 
is  needed  in  proper  treatment.  Dr.  Stiles  is  quoted  somewhat  at 
length  as  follows: 

"Sheep,  goats,  and  cattle  suffer  from  the  effects  of  roundworms. 
This  is  especially  true  during  wet  years.  These  parasites  are  found 
particularly  in  the  lungs,  the  fourth  stomach,  and  the  bowels,  and, 
M'hen  present  in  large  numbers,  they  may  result  in  death  of  5  to  50 
per  cent  of  a  flock.  For  some  of  these  parasites  treatment  is  pos- 
sible, but  for  others  treatment  has  not  been  found  altogether 
satisfactory. 

"Eoundworms  which  live  free  in  the  fourth  stomach  or  in  the 
bowels  may  be  expelled  by  using  various  drugs  in  drenches.  A 
long  list  of  medicines  might  be  mentioned,  but  many  of  the  drugs 
most  highly  recommended  frequently  fail  to  effect  a  cure.  Fail- 
ures are  due  to  several  causes:  The  drug  itself  may  be  of  little 
or  no  value;  it  may  not  be  administered  in  the  proper  dose;  it 
may  not  be  administered  in  the  proper  Avay. 

"One  of  the  most  commonly  used  drenches  is  turpentine,  but 
more  satisfactory  results  are  obtained  from  the  use  of  coal-tar 
creosote,  or  coal-tar  creosote  and  thymol  or  gasoline,  or  bluestone. 

"I  have  had  excellent  success  in  treating  sheep,  goats,  and  cattle 
for  the  twisted  wireworm  {Strongylus  contortus)  with  a  1  per  cent 
solution  of  coal-tar  creosote.  The  medicine  is  easily  prepared  and 
quite  inexpensive.  It  may  be  purchased  of  the  druggist  in  small 
quantities  of  1  ounce  or  in  pound  bottles.  One  ounce  is  sufficient 
for  about  20  adult  sheep,  and  the  cost  of  the  treatment  is  less  than 


154  ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING. 

one-half  a  cent  per  head;  if  creosote  is  purehasefl  l)v  the  pound, 
the  cost  is  reduced  to  less  than  one-quarter  of  a  cent  per  head. 
If  creosote  is  called  for  at  a  drug  store,  beechwood  creosote  will 
usually  be  dispensed.  This  is  more  expensive  than  the  coal-tar 
creosote  and  not  so  satisfactory  in  expelling  worms. 

"A  1  per  cent  solution  of  coal-tar  creosote  is  made  as  follows: 

Coal  tar  creosote 1  ounce 

Water 99  ounces  * 

"Twisted  wireworms  (Strongijlus  contortus),  taken  directly 
from  the  stomach  of  sheep  or  cattle,  die  in  one-half  to  one  and  a 
half  minutes  when  immersed  in  this  solution. 

"If,  in  dosing,  this  liquid  enters  the  lungs  the  animal  may 
succumb  in  a  few  minutes.  If  the  dosing  is  performed  carefully, 
as  much  as  6  2-3  ounces  may  be  given  to  a  full-grown  sheep  with- 
out fatal  results.  In  some  cases,  however,  the  animal  shows  ill 
effects,  from  which  it  usually  recovers  within  half  an  hour.  Six 
ounces  were  given  to  a  number  of  sheep  without  the  slightest  ill 
effects.  The  following  table  gives  the  doses  of  the  1  per  cent  mix- 
ture which  Avere  used  in  about  400  cases  without  ill  effects : 

Ln.mbs  4  to  12  months  old 2  to   4  ounces  (about   60  to  120  c.  c.) 

Yearlint,'  sheep  and  above 3  to   5  ounces  (about   90  to  150  c.  c.) 

( 'alves  3  to  8  months  old 5  to  10  ounces  (about  150  to  300  c.  c.) 

Yearling  steers 1  pint    (about  480  c.  c. ) 

Two-year-olds  and  above  1  quart  (about  960  c.  c.) 

"Sheep,  goats,  and  calves  which  received  this  treatment  showed 
a  marked  improvement  a  few  days  after  receiving  a  single  dose. 

"In  experiments  with  creosote  at  Washington,  D.  C,  sheep  were 
drenched  with  a  1  per  cent  solution  and  killed  immediately  after- 
wards. Upon  opening  the  fourth  stomach,  it  was  found  that  the 
wireworms  present  were  dead.  In  some  cases  where  this  was  tried 
later,  the  wireworms  Avere  found  to  be  still  alive ;  but  it  is  believed 
that  the  explanation  of  this  fact  has  now  been  discovered.  Creo- 
sote does  not  appear  to  have  much  effect  upon  the  worms  below 
the  stomach. 

"If  an  overdose  is  given  by  mistake,  and  if  the  sheep  appears 
severely  affected  by  it,  the  animal  should  be  placed  in  the  shade. 
Even  in  some  cases  of  very  severe  overdoses,  where  the  animal 
is  given  up  for  dead  practically,  it  may  entirely  recover  within  an 
hour. 

"If,  in  addition  io  the  stomach  worms,  the  animals  were  suf- 
fering from  severe  infection  of  bowel  worms,  such  as  the  hook- 
worms, better  results  were  obtained  in  the  treatment  when  pow- 
dered thymol  was  added  to  the  creosote.    In  cases  of  this  kind,  the 

*  99  ounces  equals  6  pints  and  3  ounces. 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  155 

creosote  solution  is  prepared,  as  directed  above,  and  30  to  80  or 
even  100  grains  of  thymol  added  to  each  dose  after  it  has  been 
measured. 

"Thymol  is  expensive,  the  price  varying  in  different  parts  of 
the  country.  It  may  be  purchased  by  the  ounce,  but  it  is  con- 
siderably cheaper  if  purchased  by  the  pound.  Avoid  using  thymol 
which  has  become  yellowish  or  reddish  and  which  has  run  together 
in  the  bottle  so  as  to  form  a  solid  mass.  Powder  the  crystals  and 
have  the  druggist  measure  30  grains.  Give  30  grains  to  a  lamb, 
about  50  grains  to  a  yearling,  and  70  to  80  or  100  grains  to  older 
sheep,  according  to  size. 

"In  experiments  I  have  had  excellent  results  with  a  single 
dose  of  the  creosote  and  thymol  mixture.  If  necessary,  however, 
the  dose  could  be  repeated  after  a  week. 

"The  popular  method  of  drenching  is  with  a  bottle.  The  use 
of  a  drenching  tube  is,  however,  far  more  satisfactory.  A  drench- 
ing tube  may  be  made  by  taking  an  ordinary  tin  funnel,  which 
may  be  purchased  for  5  or  10  cents,  and  inserting  the  narrow  end 
into  one  end  of  a  rubber  tube  or  hose,  say  3  feet  long  and  three- 
eighths  or  one-half  inch  in  diameter;  into  the  other  end  of  the 
rubber  tube  is  inserted  a  piece  of  three-eighths-inch  brass  or  iron 
tubing  about  4  to  6  inches  long. 

"The  metal  tube  is  placed  between  the  animal's  back  teeth,  and 
the  sheep  or  calf  is  allowed  to  bite  upon  it.  The  water  or  drench 
is  poured  into  the  funnel,  which  may  be  held  by  an  assistant  or 
fastened  to  a  post  at  a  convenient  height.  The  man  who  holds 
the  metal  tube  between  the  animal's  teeth  can  control  the  animal's 
head  with  the  lefr  hand,  and  by  holding  the  tube  in  the  right  hand, 
near  the  point  of  union  of  the  rubber  and  metal  tubes,  he  can 
easily  control  the  flow  of  the  fluid  by  pinching  the  rubber  hose. 
Care  must  be  taken  not  to  hold  the  patient's  nostrils  closed,  other- 
wise the  dose  will  enter  the  lungs. 

"It  is  usually  advisable  to  fast  animals  twelve  to  sixteen  hours 
before  dosing. 

"Different  persons  prefer  to  hold  the  animals  in  different  posi- 
tions during  drenching.  Thus  (1)  the  animal  may  be  left  stand- 
ing on  all  four  feet;  or  (2)  it  may  be  placed  on  its  haunches, 
one  man  holding  its  back  up  against  his  own  body;  or  (3)  it  may 
l)e  placed  directly  on  its  back  on  a  sloping  piece  of  ground,  its 
head  being  in  a  direct  line  with  its  back,  and  higher  than  its  rump; 
or  (4)  it  may  be  placed  upon  its  side,  the  head  being  brought 
around  so  that  the  horns  are  squarely  on  the  ground ;  the  operator 
may  then  place  one  foot  on  one  of  the  horns  (especially  in  the 
case  of  semiwild  cattle)  and  thus  aid  in  holding  the  animal  still. 


156  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

"So  far  as  administering  the  dose  is  concerned,  the  position 
on  the  back  (3)  is  by  far  the  easiest  in  the  case  of  sheep,  and  the 
side  position  with  head  down  (4)  is  the  easiest  in  dosing  cattle; 
furthermore,  in  these  positions  there  is  much  less  danger  of  an 
accident  by  getting  the  dose  in  the  lungs.  If  animals  are  dosed 
standing  or  on  their  haunches,  the  nose  should  never  be  allowed 
to  go  above  the  eyes;  otherwise  the  drench  may  pass  down  the 
windpipe  into  the  lungs. 

"By  dosing  sheep  with  water  colored  red  and  blue  with  dyeing 
material,  and  killing  the  animals  immediately  after  the  liquid 
was  swallowed  the  following  results  were  obtained : 

"If  the  dose  was  given  with  the  sheep  standing,  (1)  almost 
the  entire  quantity  went  directly  into  the  fourth  stomach;  if  the 
sheep  was  placed  on  its  haunches,  the  fluid  passed  in  part  into 
the  fourth  stomach  and  in  part  into  the  first  (the  paunch)  ;  if 
the  sheep  was  placed  directly  on  its  back  (3),  or  if  a  steer  was 
placed  on  its  side  (4)  with  head  down,  almost  the  entire  dose 
passed  into  the  first  stomach  (the  paunch).  If  the  animal,  even 
when  standing  (1),  struggled  to  a  considerable  degree,  a  portion 
of  the  fluid  passed  into  the  paunch. 

"It  will  be  immediately  ap]viront  that  these  facts  are  of  prac- 
tical importance  in  dosing.  If,  for  instance,  gasoline,  turpentine, 
or  creosote  is  used,  better  results  may  be  expected,  if  the  sheep  is 
dosed  standing   (1). 

PREVENTIVE   :MEASUUES. 

"First.  Every  ranch  should  have  a  hospital  pasture  situated 
on  high,  dry  ground,  well  drained,  and  without  any  pools  or  ponds. 
This  should  be  supplied  with  raised  troughs  for  watering  and 
feeding,  and  the  water  supply  should  come  from  a  well.  This 
pasture  should  not  drain  into  any  pasture  in  wliich  healthy  stock 
are  feeding. 

"Second.  As  soon  as  any  sick  animal  is  noticed  in  the  large 
pasture  it  should  be  immediately  separated  from  the  healthy  stock 
and  taken  to  the  hospital  pasture.  To  allow  sick  animals  to  run 
at  large  with  healthy  stock  means  to  deliberately  permit  the 
spread  of  infection  in  the  pastures  and  thus  endanger  the  unin- 
fected animals. 

"Third.  Proper  watering  places  should  be  supplied  in  the 
large  pastures  by  digging  wells  and  erecting  windmills  to  pump 
the  water  into  tanks.  These  tanks  should  be  raised  above  the 
ground  so  that  they  can  not  become  contaminated  with  the  ani- 
mal's droppings  being  washed  into  them  by  rains  and  floods. 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  157 

"Fourth.  Select  high  sloping  ground  for  pasture  when  this 
is  possible.    Low  pastures  should  be  properly  drained. 

"Fifth.  When  practicable,  burn  the  pastures  regularly,  thor- 
oughly, and  systematically.  The  heat  from  the  burning  grass  will 
kill  many  of  the  eggs  and  young  worms  on  the  grass,  ground,  and 
in  the  droppings. 

"Sixth.  As  parasites  are  more  fatal  to  young  animals  than  to 
old,  a  liberal  supply  of  oats  or  some  similar  food  will  aid  in 
giving  to  young  animals  strength,  which  will  enable  them  to  with- 
stand the  infection.  A  daily  allowance,  say,  half  a  pound  of  oats 
per  Iamb,  ought  to  reduce  the  morrality.  At  first  they  may  not 
be  inclined  to  eat  it,  but  they  will  soon  become  accustomed  to  it. 
This  simple  precaution  is  reported  as  very  effectual  in  New  Zea- 
land. 

"Seventli.  Keep  plenty  of  salt  accessible  to  the  animals.  Some 
men  add  slaked  lime  to  the  salt;  otiiers  add  1  ])art  of  suliihate  of 
iron  to  100  parts  of  salt.  As  a  matter  of  experience,  salt  kills 
many  young  worms." 

In  the  Southwest  the  goats  are  sometimes  affected  with  grub 
in  the  head.  These  outbreaks  are  usually  dne  to  Inral  causes  and 
have  not  been  difficult  to  overcome.  The  treatnu'ut  followed  is  the 
same  as  for  sheep. 

The  treatment  recommended  for  the  screw  worm  is  as  follows: 
Add  to  any  one  of  the  carbolic  sheep  dips  10  per  cent  of  chloro- 
form. Apply  this  mixture,  after  thoroughly  cleaning  the  wound, 
with  a  wad  of  cotton.  The  chloroform  immediately  destroys  the 
larvae  and  the  carbolic  dip  prevents  the  further  blowing  of  the 
wound. 

The  stomach  worm  (Stronyyliis  contortiis)  is  the  same  form  as 
found  in  sheep,  cattle,  and  deer.  The  treatment  in  all  cases  is  the 
same  as  for  sheep. 

In  this  connection  it  is  ])roper  to  state  that  there  are  proprietary 
worm  powders  on  the  market  for  stomach  worms  which  are  used  in 
enormous  quantities  with  sheep  and  goats,  and  they  have  given 
quite  general  satisfaction.  The  toxaline  treatment,  which  is  well 
known  to  readers  of  sheep  journals,  has  many  strong  advocates 
among  those  who  have  used  it.  These  facts  are  given  because  the 
goat  breeder,  no  less  than  the  sheep  breeder,  is  entitled  to  all  infor- 
mation that  has  in  any  way  proved  valuable. 

Goats  have  at  least  three  kinds  of  scab  parasites  peculiar  to 
their  species,  but  apparently  only  two  kinds  of  scab  develop. 
Psoroptie  scab  of  sheep  does  not  develop  disease  upon  them,  though 
it  can  undoubtedly  sustain  life  for  a  while. 


158  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

Tapeworms  of  the  G^eniis  ^Foniezia  are  found  in  goats.  In  the 
intestines  are  also  found  five  round  worms,  namely,  Strongi/lus 
plicollis,  Aesophagostoma  rcnulosum,  Sdcrosloma  luj  panto  mum, 
Uncinaria  cernua,  and  T  rich  ore  pliahis  affinis. 

Verminous  pneumonia  of  sheep  also  occurs  in  goats. 

Tuberculosis  is  sp  rare  in  goats  that  it  may  be  said  that  they 
are  practically  immune  from  this  widespread  and  insidious  dis- 
ease. 

Takosis  in  Goats. — A  disease  of  goats  which  appears  to  be 
prevalent  among  the  flocks  in  certain  sections  of  tliis  country  was 
investigated  by  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry  in  1903,  and 
described  in  the  Nineteenth  Annual  Keport  under  the  name  of 
Taicosis,  by  Dr.  Jno.  11.  Mohler.  This  term  is  used  to  designate  a 
])rogressive  debilitative,  but  none  the  less  highly  fatal,  infectious 
disease,  the  symptoms  and  lesions  of  which  are  entirely  unlike  any 
of  the  known  diseases  which  affect  this  species  of  aninitils.  Reports 
have  been  received  from  goat  owners  in  Oregon,  ^Missouri,  Virginia, 
^faryland,  Illinois,  Pennsylvania.  ^Michigan,  and  Massachusetts,  all 
describing  the  affection  as  an  incurable,  weakening,  and  wasting 
disease,  usually  accompanied  by  uncontrollable  diarrhea  and  occa- 
sional cough. 

That  this  disease  is  not  of  recent  origin  appears  evident  from 
an  article  in  the  Country  Gentleman  of  April,  1876,  which  states 
that,  despite  the  friendly  warning  of  a  naturalist  against  taking 
Tibet  goats  into  Georgia,  the  writer  in  1854  consummated  a  pur- 
chase and  encountered  some  thoroughly  discouraging  experiences. 
Later  in  recounting  these  experiences  lie  wrote  that  all  the  Til)ct 
goats,  pure  and  grades,  in  his  flock  died  in  a  few  years  after  the 
purchase  from  a  disease  of  the  lungs  combined  with  dysentery.  A 
writer  in  the  Country  Gentleman  of  February  4,  1875,  also  reports 
serious  losses  in  a  flock  placed  in  his  care.  Although  no  specific 
symptoms  are  recorded  the  description  is  highly  suggestive  of 
takosis. 

Pegler  (1885),  in  his  description  of  a  disease  peculiar  to  goats, 
has  mentioned  the  symptoms  which  might  in  most  particulars 
very  well  be  applied  to  a  flock  affected  with  this  disease.  Not- 
withstanding takosis  appears  to  have  been  known  to  some  individ- 
ual breeders  for  a  long  time,  it  seems  to  have  remained  in  a 
smoldering  condition  and  not  until  the  affection  became  so  wide- 
spread during  the  past  year  was  its  economic  importance  brought 
to  the  attention  of  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry  and  the  char- 
acter and  causation  of  the  disease  elucidated. 

Takosis   of   goats    is   undoubtedly   contagious   and   the   recent 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  159 

investigations  have  proven  conclusively  that  it  is  caused  by  a 
specific  organism  the  Micrococcus  caprinus,  which  need  not  be 
described  here. 

In  order  to  demonstrate  the  pathogenic  properties  of  this 
micrococcus  and  establish  its  etiological  significance  to  the  disease 
in  question,  inoculation  experiments  were  conducted  upon  white 
mice,  white  and  brown  rats,  guinea  pigs,  rabbits,  chickens,  dogs, 
sheep,  and  goats.  Of  these  animals,  dogs  and  rats  have  appeared 
totally  immune.  The  only  noticeable  effect  of  inoculation  upon 
sheep  was  a  temporary  rise  of  temperature. 

The  disease  presents  many  of  the  symptoms  usually  accompany- 
ing a  parasitic  invasion  of  diarrhea  and  pneumonia.  In  the  early 
stages  of  the  affection  there  is  usually  little  to  indicate  that  any- 
thing is  seriously  amiss  with  the  animal.  The  first  observable 
symptom  manifested  is  the  listless  and  languid  demeanor  of  the 
animal  evidenced  by  its  lagging  behind  the  flock  and  is  usually 
accompanied  by  a  drooping  of  the  ears  and  a  drowsy  appearance 
of  the  eyes.  The  pulse  is  slow  and  feeble  and  the  temperature  is 
elevated  slightly  at  first,  but  becomes  subnormal  a  few  days  before 
death.  The  highest  temperature  observed  in  the  natural  disease 
was  104.1°  and  the  lowest,  in  a  prostrated  animal  a  few  hours 
before  death,  registered  99.7°  F.  Snuffing  of  the  nose,  as  in  a 
case  of  coryza,  and  occasionally  coughing  is  sometimes  in  evidence. 
They  would  move  about  in  a  desultory  manner,  with  back  arched, 
neck  draAvn  down  toward  the  sternum,  and  with  a  staggering  gait. 
Rumination  is  seldom  impaired.  The  appetite,  while  not  so 
vigorous,  is  still  present,  though  capricious,  and  the  affected 
animals  show  plainly  that  the  ravages  of  the  disease  are  rapidly 
overcoming  the  restorative  elements  derived  from  the  food.  The 
fleece  usually  presents  a  surprisingly  thrifty  appearance  when  the 
condition  of  the  animal  is  taken  into  consideration.  All  the 
exposed  mucous  membranes  are  pale  and  the  respirations  are  accel- 
erated and  labored.  The  goats  become  so  weak  that  they  are 
readily  knocked  down  and  trampled  upon  by  their  fellows.  If 
picked  up  they  move  off  slowly  and  eat  a  little,  but  within  a  few 
hours  are  down  again,  and  in  this  way  linger  for  several  days, 
shrinking  to  about  half  their  natural  weight,  and  occasionally 
bleating  or  groaning  with  head  bent  around  on  the  side  or  drawn 
down  to  the  sternum.  A  fluid  discharge  from  the  bowels  of  a  very 
offensive  odor  is  usually  observed  in  the  last  few  days  of  life,  but 
this  symptom  is  not  constant. 

This  disease  may  assume  an  acute  or  chronic  type,  the  animal 
usually  dying  of  inanition  in  from  eight  days  to  six  or  eight  weeks. 


160  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

Several  owners  have  reported  dentlis  after  only  two  or  three  days 
of  illness,  but  the  goats  doubtless  had  been  affected  for  a  longer 
period,  although  not  noticed  on  account  of  their  mingling  in  the 
flock.  It  is  the  consensus  of  opinion  among  the  breeders  inter- 
viewed that  many  of  the  animals  succeeded  in  living  for  weeks,  but 
they  gradually  became  Aveaker  and  more  debilitated  and  finally 
died  in  a  comatose  condition.  In  no  instance  has  the  natural 
recovery  of  an  animal  been  observed  after  once  the  symptoms  of 
takosis  were  noted.  The  younger  goats  seem  to  be  the  most 
susceptible  to  the  disease,  although  the  old  animals  are  by  no 
means  immune.  The  does,  wethers,  and  Ijucks  all  become  affected, 
but  probably  as  a  result  of  the  usual  preponderance  of  does  in  a 
flock  the  latter  appear  to  be  the  most  susceptible. 

As  already  indicated  the  general  appearance  of  the  carcass 
simulates  that  produced  by  a  wasting  disease.  The  visible  mucous 
membranes  are  pale  and  anemic,  while  the  fleece,  which  appears  dry 
and  lusterless,  furnishes  a  shroud  for  the  extreme  emaciated  condi- 
tion that  is  perceptible  on  skinning.  This  masking  quality  of  the 
hair  prevents  an  accurate  estimate  of  the  condition  of  the  animal 
by  the  eye  alone  and  necessitates  handling  of  the  individual  cases 
to  appreciate  to  the  full  extent  the  inroads  made  by  the  affection. 
The  same  anemic  condition  of  the  subcutaneous  and  muscular 
tissues  is  observed  in  dehiding  tlie  carcasses.  The  lungs  in  most 
cases  are  the  seat  of  a  peculiar  diversified  inflammation,  never  of 
a  remarkable  extent.  The  external  appearance  of  these  organs  is 
at  times  mottled,  caused  l)y  a  few  congested  areas,  several  patches 
of  an  iron-gray  color  similar  to  areas  of  pneumonia  during  the 
process  of  absorption  and  normal  tissues.  The  liver  is  usually 
normal,  but  necrotic  areas  were  observed  in  one  case,  due  probably 
to  parasitic  invasion.  The  kidneys  are  anemic  and  softened.  The 
intestines  may  contain  normal  fecal  matter  or  semifluid  feces  of 
disagreeable  odor. 

The  effects  of  internal  parasites  upon  goats  are  very  similar  in 
many  of  their  outward  manifestations  to  the  symptoms  of  takosis, 
but  the  infectious  nature  of  the  latter  when  compared  with  the 
enzootic  coarse  of  a  parasitic  invasion  will  justify  one  in  making 
a  definite  diagnosis.  In  attacks  of  takosis  symptoms  of  pneumonia 
will  be  frequently  noted,  especially  labored  breathing  or  rapid 
respiration.  These  symptoms  are  not  diagnositic  of  parasitism. 
The  edamatous  lump  under  the  Jaw  so  frequently  i)resent  in  cases 
of  parasitism  fails  in  takosis.  The  luster  of  the  fleece  is  less 
affected  in  takosis,  while  diarrhea  is  more  frequently  noted.  Finally 
in  parasitism  a  careful  postmortem  examination  will  quicklv  dis- 
close the  presence  of  the  offending  parasites. 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING.  161 

In  goats  anemia  is  very  rare  and  when  it  does  occur  it  is  usually 
secondary  to  some  previously  existing  disease  as  chronic  pneumonia, 
peritonitis,  or  to  poor  food  and  starvation.  It  does  not  assume  an 
infectious  character  and  may  be  differentiated  from  the  anemic 
condition  accompanying  takosis  by  the  absence  of  the  specific 
organism  on  microscopic  examination. 

Watery  cachsia  or  hydremia  usually  results  from  poor  feeding, 
innutritions  food,  and  pasturing  in  low  lands.  The  natural  goat 
pasture  is  high,  dry  lands.  The  animal  is  weak,  readily  exhausted, 
breathes  rapidly  and  heart  palpitates.  The  mucous  membranes  of 
the  eyes,  nose,  and  mouth  are  pale  and  swollen.  The  edema  which 
is  present  about  the  head  and  neck  and  abdomen  will  serve  to  dif- 
ferentiate this  disease  from  takosis.  This  edema  of  the  head  dis- 
appears when  the  animal  lies  down.  Icterus  may  accompany  the 
disease  when  the  discoloration  of  the  mucous  membrane  easily 
establishes  the  nature  of  the  affection.  A  change  of  pasture  and  a 
more  nutritious  diet  are  accompanied  bv  a  return  of  licaltli  to  the 
flock. 

In  the  study  of  takosis,  four  points  have  been  brought  promi- 
nently into  view  which  may  properly  l)e  grouped  together  when 
considering  measures  for  the  prevention  of  the  disease.  Sudden 
climatic  changes  should  be  avoided  so  far  as  possible,  and  when 
shipments  of  goats  for  breeding  purposes  are  to  be  made,  which 
necessitate  their  transportation  northward  over  considerable  dis- 
tances, the  changes  should  be  made  during  the  months  of  summer 
or  late  spring,  and  not  in  the  fall  or  winter,  when  the  contrast 
of  temperature  will  Ije  so  much  greater.  The  second  precautionary 
measure  is  closely  allied  to  the  first,  namely,  Angora  goats  should 
be  provided  with  stables  that  are  tlioroughly  dry,  not  alone  in  their 
ability  to  shed  rain,  but  they  should  be  placed  upon  ground  that 
has  perfect  natural  drainage,  and  these  should  be  accessible  by 
them  at  all  times,  as  the  effect  of  rains  upon  the  general  health 
and  strength  of  these  animals  has  been  frequently  proven  to  be 
very  disastrous.  So  great  is  their  natural  aversion  to  a  wetting 
that  they  will  seldom  get  caught  out  in  a  shower  if  shelter  is  within 
their  reach,  but  will  leave  their  browsing  and  march  under  cover 
before  the  downpour.  As  a  third  measure  of  prevention  may  be 
mentioned  careful  feeding.  jSTo  animal  is  as  well  fortified  against 
the  attack  of  an  infection  when  reduced  by  lack  of  nourishment  as 
it  is  when  in  a  vigorous,  thriving  condition.  Among  the  predispos- 
ing causes  of  disease,  usually  enumerated  by  general  pathologists, 
will  be  found  debility  due  to  insufficient  or  unsuitable  food,  and 
although  the  reason  for  this  mav  not  be  established  l)evond  the 


162  ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 

reach  of  argument,  it  is  pretty  generally  coneedeJ  that  the  con- 
tinued lack  of  proper  nourishment  establishes  in  the  blood  of  an 
animal  an  abnormal  degree  of  alkalinity  which  grants  an  increased 
susceptibility  to  the  inroads  of  pathogenic  organisms.  The  last 
preventive  measure  to  be  mentioned  is  one  that  is  applicable  only 
after  the  disease  has  made  its  appearance  in  the  flock.  The  segrega- 
tion, or  isolation,  of  all  affected  animals  as  soon  as  they  evince  any 
symptoms  of  the  disease,  will  be  found  a  most  valuable  means  of 
protection  for  those  that  remain  unaffected,  and  a  strict  quarantine 
over  all  of  the  diseased  members  of  the  flock  should  be  maintained 
so  long  as  the  disease  remains  upon  the  premises. 

The  sheds,  yards,  and  corrals  where  the  animals  have  been  kept 
should  be  disinfected  with  a  five  jxt  cent  solution  of  creolin  or 
carbolic  acid. 

The  most  pleasing  results  that  liave  been  derived  from  the  use 
of  drugs  have  followed  the  administration  of  calomel  given  alone 
in  .10  gram  doses  twice  daily  for  two  days,  to  be  followed  by 
powders  composed  of  arsenic,  quinine,  and  iron  as  follows: 
Arsenious  acid,  1.40  grams;  iron,  reduced,  12  grams;  quinine 
sulphate,  6  grams.  Mix  and  make  into  twenty  powders,  giving  one 
to  each  adult  goat  morning  and  evening,  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
administration  of  calomel.  After  an  interval  of  two  days  this 
treatment  is  repeated. 

Experiments  are  at  present  under  way  with  a  view  of  procuring 
a  vaccine  for  the  preventive  inoculation  of  exposed  goats,  but  the 
results  thus  far  obtained  are  not  uniform,  and  further  investigation 
must  be, made  before  any  definite  statements  will  be  hazarded. 

Goats  are  apt  to  have  foot  rot,  but  a  cure  is  easily  effected  by 
the  use  of  sulphate  of  copper  (blue  vitrei).  It  is  usually  applied 
by  driving  goats  through  a  trough  containing  a  solution  of  strong 
blue  vitrol.  The  solution  should  be  aljout  an  inch  in  depth.  Oscar 
Tom,  a  breeder  of  much  experience,  says:  "Butter  of  antimony 
applied  with  a  stiff  feather  will  cure  it,  or  mix  1  ounce  of  sul- 
phuric acid  with  2  ounces  of  vinegar  and  apply  as  above.  Go  over 
the  whole  band.  Generally  one  application  cures  if  well  done. 
Change  the  range  at  the  same  time  if  you  can." 

All  goats  become  infested  with  lice  if  tlu>y  do  not  receive 
proper  attention.  It  is  not  a  difficult  matter,  as  all  men  agree, 
to  rid  goats  of  this  annoyance  by  dipping  them,  as  sheep  are 
dipped,  in  any  of  the  common  sheep-dip  preparations.  The  ani- 
mals can  not  thrive  to  best  adv-antage  when  they  are  carrying  a 
fleece  full  of  lice ;  oftentimes  the  lice  become  so  numerous  as  to 
cause  the  goat  to  lose  much  flesh  and  finally  to  fail  to  produce  a 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 


103 


good  quality  of  mohair,  or  even  to  produce  a  kid,  if  the  infested 
animal  is  a  doe.  Goat  raisers  should  know  that  an  animal  which 
is  badly  infested  with  lice  in  the  winter  always  requires  an  extra 
amount  of  feed;  in  other  words,  if  lice  are  to  be  raised  they  must 
be  fed.  The  better  practice  is  to  dip  goats  twice  a  year— in  the 
spring  just  after  shearing  and  again  in  the  fall. 

One  of  the  principal  enemies  of  the  Angoras  is  the  wolf.  The 
best  guard  against  wolves  is  a  good  wire  fence.  Sometimes  the 
wolves  dig  under  the  fence,  and  then  it  becomes  necessary  to  trap 
them.  This  is  practiced  by  H.  T.  Fuchs,  who  says :  "Three  steel 
traps  are  fastened  to  each  other,  but  to  nothing  else,  and  catch 
the  wolves.  If  the  trap  is  made  fast  the  wolf  will  break  loose,  but 
the  weight  of  three  traps  fastened  together  simply  tires  the  wolf 
out,  and  it  rarely  drags  them  more  than  200  or  300  yards." 

In  many  localities  the  wildcats  are  especially  troublesome. 
Their  prey  is  the  kids. 


CHAPTER  Xm. 

Tin:   SKINS    AM)   TIIKll!    I'SES. 
Tbcir  I'sc  as  Rugs,  Uubes,  and  'rriiiiiiiiiig^i. 

The  skins  of  tlu'  Angora.<,  jl  taken  wlicn  tlio  hair  is  about  4 
inches  long,  make  very  handsome  nigs.  The  haii-  retains  its  origi- 
nal luster,  and  may  he  used  in  the  natural  white  or  dyed  any 
color  desirecL  Tlie  j»ure  wliite  ones  iirr  more  generally  preferred. 
There  is  a  demand  for  Angora  rugs  in  tiie  United  States  whicli  so 
far  has  not  been  supplied  by  domestic  production.  These  rugs 
can  be  purchased  at  prices  ranging  from  $4  to  $8. 

Another  article  of  manufacture  from  the  skins  is  the  carriage 
robe,  rivaling  in  beauty  and  duralulity  the  buil'alo  robe,  which 
is  no  longer  a  factor  in  the  market.  They  arc  not  expensive  when 
the  demand  for  skins  is  considered,  and  may  be  purchased  for 
about  $20.  The  smaller  skins  of  the  does  and  wethers  and  the  kid 
skins  find  an  extensive  use  in  l)aby  carriages,  and  are  exceedingly 
attractive  in  tlieir  brilliant  whiteness. 

These  skins  are  used  largely  in  the  manufacture  of  children's 
muffs  and  as  trimmings  for  coats  and  capes.  Tlie  finest  kid  fleeces 
adorn  the  collar  and  border  of  the  ladies'  most  handsome  opera 
cloaks.  In  the  stores  tliey  are  sold  often  under  some  peculiar 
name  whic]i  does  not  inform  the  purchased  that  they  are  orna- 
mented with  the  liair  of  tlie  Angora  goat,  and  so  thousands  of 
such  articles  are  worn  by  people  who  are  unaware  of  the  true  name 
of  their  "furs."' 

Tbelr  Vhc  as  Leather. 

While  the  skin  sliould  alwa)'S  be  taken  as  an  item  of  salvage, 
it  is  not  at  all  probable  that  it  will  ever  be  profitable  to  produce 
them  for  leather.  The  skin  should  be  removed  from  the  carcass 
very  soon  after  death,  else  decom])osition  in  its  most  incipient 
stage  will  cause  the  hair  to  "slip."  If  the  skin  happens  to  con- 
tain a  fleece  of  sufficient  length,  it  might  be  converted  into  a  rug 
or  robe;  if  not,  it  can  l)c  tanned  and  used  for  binding  books  or 
manufactured  into  gloves  of  excellent  quality.  The  skin  of  the 
Angora  is  of  a  more  delicate  texture  than  that  of  the  common 
goat  and  so  is  not  suitable  for  shoe  leather.     This  feature  will 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 


165 


forever  preclude  the  possibilit}'  of  its  becoming  a  competitor  of 
the  goatskins,  which  are  now  imported  for  shoe  leather.  Angora 
skins  for  leather  will  not  bring  as  good  a  price  in  the  market  as 
those  of  the  common  goat.  A  prominent  New  York  dealer  in 
skins  says:  "Domestic  skins  are  worth  from  50  cents  for  kids  up 
to  $3  each  for  large  full-fleeced  pelts.  The  low,  crossbred  com- 
mon skins  and  short  pelts  not  suitable  to  dress  are  used  by  mo- 
rocco and  glove  leather  manufacturers,  and  are  worth  from  15  to 
18  cents  a  pound  for  large  sizes  down  to  10  and  11  cents  for  small 
ones  and  kids.'"' 
Tanning  and  Dressing  tlie  Skins. 

There  are  many  recipes  in  various  books  for  tanning  and  dress- 
ing skins;  but  the  sale  of  Angora  rugs  and  robes  at  good  prices 
depends  so  much  upon  their  excellent  appearance  that  it  is  rec- 
ommended that  the  work  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  professional 
tanner.  Even  then  it  is  well  to  be  certain  of  the  character  of  his 
work,  for  goat  men  have  frequent  cause  of  complaint  that  their 
skins  have  not  been  well  manipulated.  Tanners  who  have  done 
good  work  with  Angera  skins  should  advertise  in  those  papers 
which  devote  space  to  Angora  goat  discussion.  They  will  help 
themselves  and  at  the  same  time  aid  a  feature  of  the  industry 
that  is  to  be  ever  present. 

Importations  of  Angora  Goatskins. 

Wliile  tliei'c  is  a  duty  of  12  cents  a  pound  on  mohair  and  a 
varying  schedule  applying  to  mohair  manufactures,  skins  having 
fleeces  attached  are  admitted  duty  free.  Importations  are  without 
doubt  very  considerable,  as  large  numbers  are  in  use,  and  we  know 
that  the  domestic  production  is  yet  very  limited. 

The  two  tables  herewitli  will  give  some  idea  of  the  extent  of 
importations  at  Boston  and  Pbiladelpliia.  The  importations  at 
New  York  must  be  much  greater,  but  Die  reports  previous  to  1902 
are  not  readily  available. 

IMPORTATION    OF    ANGOBA    GOATSKINS    INTO    THE    PORT    OF    BOSTON    FROM    1898    TO 
DECEMBER   15.  1901 


Date  of  Entry. 

Number 
of  skins. 

Weight. 

Value. 

1.800 
750 

2,378 

2,585 

400 

7.50 

900 

1,500 

Pounds. 
5,388 
2,292 

6  942 
8,308 
2.247 
2.196 
2,898 
4,306 

$574 

August          

244 

1901. 

705 

Julv 

914 

AufeTust 

239 

245 

319 

December  15           

480 

160 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING 


IMPORTATIONS    OF    ANGOHA    (iOATSKIXS    INTO     THE     PORT     OF     PHILADELPHIA     FROM 

1896  TO  mn. 


Date  of  Entry. 

Pounds. 

Value. 

1896 

706.571 
716.343 
19. MO 
1.113.974 
790.782 
430.458 

$  76.378 

1897 

1899          

15-)  601 

1900      

144  577 

1901 

AFRICAN  GOATS. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

MINOR  FEATU1;K!S  of  liMPOUTANCE. 
Enridiiuent  of  the  Land. 

In  tlie  chapter  dealing  with  goats  as  brush  exterminators  ref- 
erence is  made  to  the  enrichment  of  the  land  by  their  droppings. 
This  benefit  is  decidedly  noticeable  on  land  where  they  are  kept 
a  year  or  more.  This  is  a  factor  of  no  small  importance,  not  only 
where  the  goats  have  been  employed  to  destroy  brushwood,  but  on 
cleared  land  which  may  have  grown  up  to  weeds  which  the  goats 
eat  greedily. 

The  sheds  where  the  goats  are  ke])t  at  night  should  be  cleaned 
out  frequently  and  the  manure  preserved  in  bins  where  it  can  be 
kept  dry.  This  manure  may  afterward  be  put  upon  the  land  in 
accordance  with  the  farmer's  plans.  Goat  manure  was  applied  to 
th.e  corn  crop  on  a  worn-out  farm  in  Maryland  with  wonderful 
results.  Land  which  ordinarily  would  not  yield  over  fifteen  bush- 
els to  the  acre  gave  forty  bushels  after  the  goat  manure  was  ap- 
plied. Owing  to  the  scarcily  of  the  manure,  much  of  it  was  ap- 
plied by  the  handful  at  a  time  in  the  hill  as  the  corn  was  planted. 
This  is  the  practice  with  commercial  fertilizers  and  is  getting  the 
most  out  of  little.  ]\Ianure  is  considered  as  one  of  the  resources  in 
the  best  system  of  modern  farming,  and  it  should  be  taken  into 
account  by  any  one  who  is  keeping  goats  or  is  contemplating 
doing  so. 

There  is  no  better  fertilizer  for  fruit  trees  and  lawns  than  goat 
manure,  and  none  equal  to  it  for  this  purpose  except  sheep  ma- 
nure. The  droppings  of  goats  and  sheep  are  about  equal  in  fer- 
tilizing value.  It  has  been  estimated  that  the  value  per  ton  of  the 
manure  produced  by  a  sheep  is  $3.80,  and  it  is  certain  that  the 
goat  produces  as  mueh  and  probably  more  than  the  sheep. 

Protection  for  Slieep. 

The  statement  that  an  Angora  buck  running  with  a  flock  of 
sheep  will  protect  them  from  the  attack  of  dogs  has  received  wide 
publicity.  Much  that  has  been  published  is  without  foundation, 
yet  much  also  is  correct.  Some  breeders  state  positively  that  the 
goats  are  as  cowardly  as  sheep  and  just  as  liable  to  be  attacked  by 


168  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

dogs,  wliilc  Others  cite  instances  where  dogs  have  actually  been 
driven  off.  No  doubt  both  statements  represent  the  experiences  of 
the  respective  breeders.  It  is  a  fact  that  one  or  two  l)ueks  will 
serve  to  protect  a  flock  of  sheep  if  they  are  trained  to  attack  dogs. 
Very  little  eft'ort  is  required  to  train  them,  for  they  are  fighters 
naturally,  and  their  pugnacious  disposition  is  easily  developed. 
Indeed,  the  most  docile  doe  may  be  trained  to  do  the  same  service. 
Some  pertinent  remarks  along  this  line  are  made  l)y  H.  T.  Fuchs, 
of  ^Marble  Falls,  Tex.,  a  well-known  breeder  of  Angoras.  He  says: 
"It  is  quite  amusing  to  see  the  courage  of  a  doe  when  she  protects 
her  young  kid  from  a  dog,  or  hog,  or  fleck  of  buzzards.  Two  of 
my  neighbors'  dogs  got  in  the  hnbit  of  killing  my  kids,  and  one 
doe  protected  her  kid  quite  a  while  from  the  two  large  vicious  dogs 
until  the  neighbor  caught  one  of  the  dogs  and  gave  him  a  good 
whipping,  when  the  goat  assisted  in  this  work  by  butting  the  dog 
with  all  her  might.  You  should  train  the  goats  to  be  brave  by 
taking  your  dogs  into  the  goat  pen  with  you,  and,  in  case  the  dog 
refuses  to  run  from  a  brave  goat,  scold  the  dog  to  make  the  goat 
think  that  she  whipped  him.  If  you  had  a  tame  wolf  trained  in 
that  way  you  could  train  your  goats  to  fight  wolves."' 

Because  of  their  inclination  to  fight  dogs,  bucks  have  been  em- 
ployed in  small  numbers — say  from  one  to  three — to  run  with 
sheep.  A  few  will  remain  with  sheep  for  their  company,  but  a 
considerable  number  are  apt  to  sejiarate  to  themselves  and  remain 
away  from  the  flock. 

There  is  very  little  complaint  regarding  the  ravages  of  dogs 
by  breeders  of  Angora  goats,  while  the  sheep  raiser  has  them  us 
his  foe  always.  Ordinarily  an  Angora  buck  will  vanquish  a  dog 
and  it  is  not  likely  that  the  goat  industry  will  suffer  from  the 
ravages  of  dogs. 

Notwithstanding  all  this,  the  owner  of  Angoras  will  l)e  wise 
if  he  keeps  a  close  watch  upon  them  until  they  d-:>monstrate  their 
ability  to  care  for  themselves  in  a  contest.  It  might  be  well  to 
send  a  few  bucks  to  the  kind  of  school  mentioned  by  Mr.  Fuchs. 

Disposition  of  tbe  Angora. 

The  remarkable  intelligence  of  these  little  animals  has  already 
been  mentioned;  but  a  question  often  asked  is  "Are  they  ugly?" 
Yes,  if  they  are  made  so  by  teasing,  just  as  dogs,  cats,  horses,  or 
pet  roosters  are  made  ugly.  In  flocks  they  are  as  docile  as  sheep 
and  vcrv  soon  learn  to  regard  man  as  their  friend. 


ANGORA  GOAT   RAISING.  169 

Their  Use  as  Pets. 

The  highbred  Angoras  are  very  graceful,  and  their  beautifully 
shaped  bodies  and  fine  silky  hair  make  them  very  attractive.  There 
is  no  animal,  except  possibly  the  horse^  that  is  more  beautiful  than 
these  goats,  and  no  animal  is  more  cleanly  in  his  habits.  As  pets 
for  children  they  are  very  popular,  if  they  can  be  kept  where  they 
will  be  harmless  to  vegetation  and  anything  made  of  cloth.  They 
have  all  the  propensities  of  the  common  goat  for  destroying  fruit 
trees  and  chewing  any  kind  of  cloth  and  of  climbing  upon  roofs. 
All  kinds  of  goats  are  mischievous  in  the  extreme.  The  Angoras 
are  tractible  and  are  often  harnessed  to  carts,  as  are  common  goats, 
and  their  beauty  makes  them  more  desirable  for  this  purpose. 
They  are  remarkably  intelligent  and  are  easily  trained.  The  high- 
grade  Angoras  are  free  from  the  "goat  odor"  so  objectionable  in 
the  common  breed,  and  this  is  a  very  good  reason  why  they  are 
preferred  as  pets  even  if  their  beauty  is  not  considered.  It  is  true, 
however,  that  the  average  high-grade  Angora  is  a  smaller  and  more 
delicate  animal  than  the  common  breed  and  must  not  be  expected 
to  draw  heavy  loads. 

Wliere  to  Buy  Angora  Goats. 

In  this  industry,  as  in  every  other,  the  public  is  informed  that 
there  are  breeders  of  good  goats,  breeders  of  poor  goats,  brokers 
in  all  kinds  of  goats,  and  a  host  of  unscrupulous  dealers  who  are 
taking  advantage  of  the  great  interest  manifested  at  this  time 
and  have  no  reputation  to  lose.  Most  people  who  purchase  ex- 
press a  desire  to  see  the  animals  they  buy.  This  is  natural  and 
affords  some  satisfaction ;  but  the  fact  is  that,  unless  such  a  buyer 
is  familiar  with  goats,  he  will  know  very  little  about  them  after 
seeing  them.  There  would  be  no  difficulty  in  imposing  upon  him. 
If  one  is  not  familiar  with  the  points  of  an  Angora,  he  would 
himself  be  liable  to  choose  the  poorest  animals  out  of  a  flock.  Be- 
cause an  animal  is  large,  lively,  and  strong  is  not  an  evidence 
that  it  is  worth  the  cost  of  expressage  to  the  next  town. 

In  this  industry,  as  in  all  others,  the  purchaser  must  depend 
largely  upon  tlie  reputation  of  breeders.  There  are  very  many  en- 
tirely reliable  breeders,  and  it  is  not  a  very  difficult  matter  to 
ascertain  the  standing  and  practice  of  any  one  who  offers  goats 
for  sale.  Prospective  purchasers  should  consult  the  advertise- 
ments of  goat  breeders,  and,  if  any  question  arises  in  the  mind, 
ask  such  breeders  for  references.  And,  too,  let  such  a  man,  if  he 
orders  goats,  to  l)e  paid  for  on  delivery,  furnish  references  as  to 
his  own  reliability.    If  he  Avrites  to  some  one  not  directly  interested, 


170  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

lot  him  inclose  a  staiii])  for  reply.  A  stamp  is  a  small  matter,  it  is 
true,  but  the  posta^^c  bill  of  some  breeders  amounts  to  several 
dollars  per  month. 

How  to  Handle  An<^ura  Ooats. 

The  best  way  to  catch  and  hold  an  Angora  is  by  the  horns.  It 
will  struggle  Imt  little  after  it  finds  that  its  horn  is  in  a  secure 
grasp.  To  catch  hold  of  it  any  other  way  gives  it  an  opportunity 
to  show  all  its  strength,  which  is  not  a  little  in  a  healthy  goat. 
Sheep  are  often  caught  by  the  wool  and  held  without  giving  pain 
apparently,  but  it  is  painful  to  a  goat  to  be  caught  thus.  Many 
who  are  not  familiar  with  the  Angora  seize  it  by  the  fleece  at  once, 
without  a  thought  of  the  pain  they  give.  This  is  not  only  painful 
for  the  animal  l)ut  it  is  difficult  to  hold  it  when  caught  in  this 
way. 

If  it  is  desired  to  place  the  animal  on  its  haunches,  take  its 
right  horn  with  the  right  hand,  if  standing  on  the  right  side  of  the 
goat,  and  seize  the  left  front  leg  with  the  left  hand,  and  then  lift 
it  up,  at  the  same  time  pulling  it  backward  over  the  feet  or  knee. 
This  is  easily  done  and  done  without  injury.  To  place  the  animal 
on  his  back  or  side,  reach  both  arms  over  its  back,  seizing  a  front 
leg  and  a  hind  one  and  then  lift  it  up  onto  your  knees  quickly. 
It  can  then  be  placed  in  any  position  desired. 

Will  Angoras  Ci-omk  witli  Slieep? 

They  will  not  cross  with  sheep,  for  the  reason  that  goats  and 
sheep  arc  not  of  the  same  genus.  IMiis  statement  is  made  upon  the 
authority  of  leading  naturalists  in  this  country  and  with  full 
knowledge  of  the  ro])orts  of  the  existence  of  such  crosses,  but  they 
are,  like  the  petrified  human  l)eing,  "somewhere  else.''  There  is 
a  peculiar  animal  in  New  Mexico  called  the  '"cabrito"  (male)  or 
"cabrita"  (female),  Spanish  words  for  the  young  of  the  goat. 
It  is  commonly  but  incorrectly  siH>llcd  "cabretta."  This  animal, 
especially  when  young,  reseml)lcs  ilic  young  of  the  goat  very  much, 
and  from  this  fact  it  ])robal)Iy  ix'(i'i\cs  its  name.  It  is  nothing 
else  than  a  lamb,  the  offspring  of  the  Navajo  ram  upon  a  ewe  of  a 
common  and  Ijctter  devel()i)ed  breed  of  sheep.  There  is  no  goat 
l)lood  in  it.  The  Navajo  sheep,  especially  the  ram,  is  said  to  be  a 
coarse-woolcd,  leggy,  upstanding  creature,  with  horns  extending 
backward  like  those  of  the  goal,  and  might,  upon  casual  observa- 
tion, easily  be  taken  for  a  goal.  It  is  the  wool  of  this  sheep  that 
is  made  into  the  well-known  Navajo  Indian  blankets. 

Schreiner  cites  several  records  of  hybrids  of  the  goat  and  the 


ANGORA   GOAT  RAISING.  171 

sheep,  and  says  he  had  himself  seen  four  animals  "represented  as 
being  the  hybrid  progeny  of  such  a  cross." 

The  facts  which  confront  us  in  discussing  this  question  are  that 
Angoras  and  sheep  have  been  running  together  in  this  country  for 
the  last  fifty  years,  and  yet  no  one  of  scientific  standing  has  ven- 
tured to  say  that  he  has  seen  a  hybrid  from  them.  From  the 
practical  standpoint  of  the  breeder  it  is  entirely  safe  to  say  that 
the  goat  and  sheep  will  not  interbreed. 

Colonel  Peters,  in  the  American  Agriculturist,  iSTovember, 
1876,  says:  "Trior  to  the  year  1860  I  tried  many  experiments,  in 
hopes  of  obtaining  a  cross  between  the  goat  and  sheep,  and  failed  in 
every  instance.  Extensive  correspondence  with  other  breeders  has 
convinced  me  that  the  cross  can  not  be  obtained.  Dr.  John  Bach- 
man,  the  celebrated  naturalist  of  Charleston,  S.  C,  who  was  in 
correspondence  with  the  most  distinguished  naturalists  of  Europe, 
informed  me  that  he  had  no  faith  in  the  theory,  and  did  not  be- 
lieve the  cross  obtainable.  He  stated,  however,  that  Cuvier,  the 
renowned  French  naturalist,  claimed  to  have  examined  a  speci- 
men of  such  a  hybrid,  but  Dr.  Boehman  himself  believed  that 
Cuvier  had  been  deceived,  or  had  made  a  mistake. 

How  to  Designate  tl»e  Sexes. 

The  pro})cr  designation  for  the  male  goat  is  "buck"  and  for 
the  female  "doe.''  Previous  to  the  issuance  of  the  Government 
bulletins,  the  buck  was  indiscriminately  referred  to  as  male,  sire, 
buck,  ram,  and  billy;  and  the  female  was  known  as  doe,  ewe,  and 
nanny.  The  terms  "buck"  and  "doe"  used  in  the  publications  re- 
ferred to  are  generally  adopted  at  this  time,  and  are  given  official 
sanction  l)y  their  use  in  the  catalogues  and  premium  lists  of  the 
American  Angora  Goat  Breeders'  Association. 

The  castrated  goat  is  designated  as  a  "wether,"  as  with  sheep. 
In  Cape  Colony  he  is  called  a  "kapater,"  and  the  sheep  wether  is 
there  called  a  "hamel ;"  but  these  are  foreign  words  which  mean 
no  more  than  our  own  American  words,  and  there  is  no  reason  why 
they  should  be  adopted  by  us. 

The  young  is  called  "kid,"  and  there  appears  to  be  absolute 
unanimity  in  this  designation. 

What  to  Call  the  Flesb. 

The  flesh  of  the  Angora  goat  has  not  yet  been  found  in  many 
markets,  and  there  is  yet  no  general  accepted  term  for  it.  Some 
speak  of  it  as  "Angora  mutton"  and  others  as  "Angora  venison." 
It  is  claimed  that  if  an  animal  has  had  a  liberal  diet  of  leaves 
and  twigs  while  being  fattened  its  flesh  has  the  game  flavor  of 


172  ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 

venison,  and  people  avIio  are  familiar  wilh  this  kind  of  feeding, 
call  the  meat  Angora  venison.  If  an  Angora  is  fattened  largely 
on  forage  and  grain,  its  flesh  will  have  a  taste  very  much  like 
mutton  fattened  under  similar  conditions.  Those  who  have  eaten 
of  this  kind  of  Angora  flesh  call  it  Angora  mutton.  Since  it  is 
entirely  probable  that  most  Angoras  that  will  go  into  the  market 
for  meat  vill  be  finished  off  on  grain,  and  so  resemble  mutton, 
it  is  better  that  the  flesh  be  called  Angora  mutton.  The  term  is 
just  as  good  as  "Angora  venison,"  and  it  has  a  domestic  sound. 

By-Products  Not  VIsewIiere  ITIentioned. 

In  the  modern  metliods  of  economic  production  and  manufac- 
ture nothing  is  permitted  to  go  to  waste.  Whoever  it  was  that  said 
facetiously  that  the  packers  saved  every  portion  of  a  hog  but  his 
squeal  spoke  the  truth.  The  same  truth  applies  as  well  to  the 
carcass  of  any  food  animal.  In  the  case  of  goats  the  horns  find 
many  uses,  and  the  fat  is  said  to  be  the  best  tallow  known  for  the 
manufacture  of  candles.  Any  part  of  the  carcass  not  useful  in 
any  other  way  is  converted  into  fertilizer. 

Registration  Association. 

The  American  Angora  Goat  Breeders'  Association  was  organized 
in  1900  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.  Previous  to  that  time  there  was  in 
existence  the  National  Angora  Kecord  Association,  with  headquar- 
ters at  Salem,  Oreg.,  but  its  members  generally  entered  the  first 
mentioned  and  the  latter  went  out  of  existence. 

As  it  is  not  known  that  there  exists  anywhere  a  purebred  An- 
gora goal,  it  was  manifestly  impossible  to  base  registration  upon 
pure  blood.  The  association  created  a  force  of  inspectors  whose 
duty  it  was  to  inspect  goats  for  registration  upon  application  and 
recommend  to  the  secretary.  Any  goat  fulfilling  the  standard  re- 
quirements was  registered.  The  number  thus  registered  was 
40,000. 

The  registration  books  were  closed  against  all  such  inspections 
on  December  31,  1901.  Since  then  only  the  offspring  of  regis- 
tered parents  are  eligible  for  registry. 

The  Tarin. 

The  act  approved  July  24,  1897,  places  a  duty  of  12  cents  per 
pound  upon  mohair.  Mohair  cloth  for  buttons  is  taxed  10  per 
cent  ad  valorem.  These  rates  are  subject  to  increase  under  certain 
conditions  of  shipments.  Angora  skins  with  mohair  attached  are 
admitted  free  of  dutv. 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING.  J  73 

The  Province  ot  a  Goat  Paper. 

The  purpope  of  this  manual  is  to  touch  upon  all  points  of  the 
Angora  goal  industry,  yet  the  author  is  conscious  of  the  fact  that 
a  thousand  questions  will  grow  out  of  the  experience  of  the  next 
few  years.  No  one  could  preiend  to  assume  to  know  what  they 
will  be  and  to  answer  them  at  this  time.  While  a  manual  of  goat 
raising  is  invaluable  and  ought  to  be  in  the  hands  of  every  goat 
raiser,  and  its  contents  thoroughly  familiar  to  him,  it  can  not 
take  the  place  of  the  journal  which  devotes  space  to  the  industry. 
Every  day  little  matters  of  perplexity  will  arise  and  every  week 
they  find  answer  in  the  goat  columns.  The  horse,  cattle,  sheep, 
and  hog  industries  are  represented  by  scores  of  volumes,  yet  no 
breeder  of  any  one  of  these  animals  would  try  to  succeed  without 
a  paper  devoted  to  the  subject ;  so  goat  raisers  will  do  well  if  they 
decide  at  once  to  take  a  paper  which  is  alive  to  their  interests. 

A  Few  Words  About  Coiuiuou  Goats;. 

While  this  volume  does  not  deal  with  the  subject  of  common 
goats,  there  are  innumerable  questions  continually  arising  about 
them.  No  effort  will  be  made  here  to  answer  all  these  questions, 
but  it  is  deemed  advisable  to  touch  upon  a  few  of  the  leading 
ones. 

There  are  about  a  million  common  goats  in  the  United  States, 
according  to  the  Twelfth  Census.  They  are  widely  disseminated, 
but  there  are  very  few  flocks  of  any  considerable  size.  Where  they 
are  most  numerous  they  are  not  kept  for  any  special  purpose  and 
no  particular  attention  is  paid  to  them.  Like  Topsy,  they  "just 
grow."  The  kids  are  sometimes  used  for  meat,  and  are  nice,  and 
occasionally  a  doe  is  milked  for  family  use.  They  are  not  raised 
in  this  country  for  their  skins,  as  they  are  found  not  to  be  profit- 
able. The  effort  to  do  so  has  been  made  under  very  favorable 
circumstances,  and  the  result  was  that  the  gross  income  averaged 
but  80  cents  per  head.  The  domestic  supply  of  skins,  therefore, 
is  nothing.  We  depend  altogether  upon  imports  for  our  goatskin 
manufactures.  The  table  herewith,  from  Treasury  reports,  shows 
that  we  import  goatskins,  morocco  leather,  and  gloves  in  very  large 
quantities: 


174 


ANGORA  GOAT  RAISING. 


QUANTITY    AND    VALUE    OF  IMPORTS    OF    GOATSKINS.    MOROCCO    SKINS,    AND    (i LOVES 
FOB   THE    YEARS    1896    TO    I90I. 


Goat  Skins. 

Morocco 
leather. 

Gloves.* 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Value. 

Value. 

1896 

Pounds.       Dollars. 

Dollars. 
2.808.322 
3.748.341 
2,4,52.6.55 
2,831.035 
2,940.949 
2,399,603 

Dollars. 

1897 

1898          

.59.I77,.'ot6 
6.5..546,.'J70 
SC^OtH.-'iSS 
69.104.372 
88  043  928 

13,802,.504 
10,8.54.430 
20.992.949 
19,008, 0<)7 
25  -'Go  670 

0.337.410 
.5,686,464 

6,433.941 
5  060  •'■'4 

1901 

\l'ill  Sbeep  Destroy  Brnsliwood. 

The  statement  is  frequently  made  Ihrough  the  press  that  sheep 
will  destroy  brushwood  just  as  effectually  as  goats,  and  the  ques- 
tion whether  they  will  or  not  is  often  asked  by  those  who  eon- 
template  the  purchase  of  either  goats  or  sheep  to  clear  their  land. 
The  sheep  is  naturally  a  grazer,  but  it  will  browse  a  little  occa- 
sionally, while  the  goat  is  naturally  a  browser  and  will  graze  occa- 
sionally. Sheep  will  not  long  thrive  or  even  subsi.<t  upon  a  brush- 
wood diet.  Neither  will  they  completely  annihilate  brushwood 
as  the  goats  do.  Where  goats  do  this  an  equal  number  of  sheep 
would  hardly  make  an  impression.  The  sheep  has  its  uses — and 
great  they  are — but  the  extermination  of  brushwood  is  not  one  of 
them. 


Tbe  Rocky  mountain  Goat. 

The  Eoeky  ^rountain  goat  is  a  large  strong  animal,  with  a 
dense  fleece  of  mohair  and  coarse  hair,  about  equally  divided  as  to 
quantity,  and  about  equal  in  length.  Samples  which  have  been 
examined  by  the  author  show  the  mohair  to  be  of  good  quality  so 
far  as  fineness  and  luster  are  concerned,  but  whether  it  could  ever 
be  produced  in  quantity  sufficient  to  be  of  any  economic  use  is 
doubted.  The  goats  are  exceedingly  rare,  and  it  is  not  probable 
that  they  would  thrive  well  outside  their  present  high  altitude — 
that  of  the  higher  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  hair  is  of  two  colors — white  and  black.  The  white  would 
bring  from  12  to  15  cents  per  pound,  and  the  black  about  5  cents, 
at  the  mills.  It  would  be  serviceable  in  the  manufacture  of 
carpets. 

Several  writers  have  suggested  the  possibility  of  producing  a 
stronger  Angora  by  crossing  with  the  Rocky  IMountain  goat.    The 


*  Imported  chiefly  from  Germany  and  France,  and  from  other  Europe  in  smaller 
quantities. 


ANGORA   GOAT   RAISING. 


175 


writer  is  not  inclined  to  think  well  of  the  suggestion.  There  is 
already  too  much  foreign  blood  in  our  Angoras,  and  the  future 
success  of  the  mohair  industry  depends  upon  our  ability  to  get 
rid  of  it. 


CHAPTER  XV, 

:MILCir  GOATS. 
Tbe  Milch  Goat  Situation. 

^lilch  goats  are  a  familiar  feature  of  the  live  stock  industry 
of  Europe.  They  are  especially  prominent  in  Switzerland,  Italy, 
Germany,  France,  aiul  Spain,  and  the  Island  of  Malta.  :Many 
may  also  be  found  in  Egypt,  llussia,  and  Xorway.  They  are,  by 
their  habits  of  life,  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  needs  and  surround- 
ings of  the  peasantry,  or  poorer  classes,  of  these  countries.  There 
is,  indeed,  nothing  truer  or  apter  than  the  homely  saying  that 
''the  goat  is  the  poor  man's  cow."  This  is  so  because  milk,  which 
is  food  and  drink  to  all  mankind,  is  furnished  by  the  goat  in  its 
cheaij(>st  form;  because  its  quality  is  superior  to  cow's  milk  for 
all  purposes;  and  also  l)ecause  the  proportionate  yield  is  much 
greater  than  that  of  a  cow.  It  is  frequently  said  that  the  feed 
required  for  one  milch  cow  is  sufficient  for  eight  milch  goats. 

In  the  old  countries  goats  hold  a  respectable  place  in  the  live 
stock  industry.  There  they  are  not  the  subject  of  every  one's 
effort  at  jesting,  as  they  have  always  been  here.  The  Angora  goat 
industry  in  this  country  has  developed  to  such  proportions  that 
it  is  now  looked  up  to  with  dignity,  even  by  the  jesters,  and  is 
sharing  its  respectability  with  the  milch  goats.  The  implied  slur 
at  the  milch  goat  which  occurs  in  a  published  remark  concerning 
a  certain  small  breed  of  dairy  cattle  that  "they  might  do  for  a 
man  who  is  too  poor  to  own  a  cow  and  ashamed  to  own  a  goat," 
is  no  longer  in  order. 

It  is  true  that  a  milch  goat  is  not  handsome:  neither  is  the 
best  milch  cow  handsome.  It  must  be  confessed  that  it  is  de- 
structive in  its  habits  and  tendencies  if  not  restrained ;  so  also 
are  cattle  and  hogs  and  chickens.  P^verybody  knows  that  it  is 
mischievous,  oftentimes  to  an  exasperating  degree,  but  this  same 
charge  applies  to  your  neighI)or's  l)oys  as  well.  Remember  this,  that 
the  waste  from  the  kitchen  will  keep  a  hog  or  two,  the  waste  grains 
and  other  food  about  the  yards  will  feed  a  few  chickens,  and  the 
weeds  and  tAvigs  and  waste  vegetal)1es  will,  witli  the  addition  of 
onlv  a  small  amount  of  hay  and  gi-ain,  keep  a  goat  or  two.     The 


MILCH  GOATS.  177 

COW  must  have  her  reguhir  meals  of  a  particnhir  menu;  she  is  uot 
allowed  to  convert  Avaste  of  an}'  sort  into  meat  or  milk. 

There  are  no  statistics  at  hand  showing  the  number  of  goats 
in  any  of  the  European  countries  except  Germany.  The  number 
in  that  empire  for  several  years  are  given  herewith: 

1873 2,330,000 

1883 3.641.000 

188.5 3,640.994 

1893 3,091,387 

Dettweiler  gives  some  statistics  of  interest  with  reference  to 
the  annual  value  of  the  goats  in  Germany.     His  estimates  follow: 

Marks. 

Value  of  goats .50.000.000  ($11,900,000) 

Value  of  milk  produced 1.50.000.000  (35.700.000) 

Value  of  kids  slaughtered 7..500.000  (1.785,000) 

Value  of  goats  slaughtered 6,500,000  (1,547,000) 

These  statistics  show  ihat  the  milch  goat  industry  of  Germany 
is  one  of  importance.  The  same  general  situation  obtains  in  the 
other  European  countries  mentioned. 

The  milch  goat  situation  in  the  United  States  is  at  the  present 
time  practically  confined  to  an  awakening  interest.  There  is  an 
insistent  demand  for  information  on  the  subject.  Physicians  who 
know  of  the  healthful  qualities  of  goat's  milk  are  considering  the 
advisability  and  possibility  of  obtaining  a  supply  for  the  needs  of 
their  patients.  People  in  moderate  circumstances  in  the  suburbs  of 
our  large  cities  are  asking  whether  they  can  not  do  better  by  keeping 
goats.  The  poorer  classes  of  these  suburbs,  to  whom  milk  is  a  lux- 
ury, are  wondering  if  they  can  not  find  a  blessing  in  a  milch  goat. 
It  is  more  than  probable  that  the  miners  in  the  coal  districts  would 
find  in  the  goat  a  profitable  friend. 

The  author  would  i.eel  thai  something  of  value,  especially  in 
the  way  of  suggestion  to  persons  of  wealth,  would  be  lost  if  he 
failed  to  mention  the  work  undertaken  by  Mrs.  Edward  Koby,  of 
Chicago.  She  is  well  known  throughout  the  country,  being  a 
member  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  Daughter 
of  1812,  member  of  the  Woman's  Federation  and  the  Woman's 
Press  Clubs,  and  numerous  other  well-known  patriotic  organiza- 
tions. She  is  also  the  founder  and  president  of  the  Ladies  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  at  her  home  is  serving  her 
thirteenth  year  as  president  of  the  Woman's  South  Side  Study 
Club.  This  much  is  said  with  the  reluctant  consent  of  ]\Irs.  Roby, 
in  the  hope  that  her  work  with  milch  goats  for  the  l)enefit  of  the 
poorer  classes  will  afford  suggestions  to  others.  It  shows  that 
any  work  which  has  for  its  object  the  benefit  of  these  classes  is 
dignified  by  the  support  of  such  people. 


MRS.   EDWARD   ROBY. 


MILCH  GOATS.  179 

Mrs.  Eol)}'  has  been  purchasing  common  goats  which  are  giving 
a  fair  amount  of  milk,  and  has  a  few  head  which  she  personally 
selected  on  the  Bermuda  Islands.  With  these  and  such  others  as 
she  ma}'  be  able  to  obtain,  she  proposes  to  do  all  she  can  toward 
the  development  of  the  American  goat.  As  fast  as  she  has  good 
milch  goats  to  spare  she  purposes  selling  them  at  low  rates  and 
on  time,  if  necessary,  to  the  heads  of  such  households  as  are  most 
greatly  in  need  of  them,  in  order  that  the  children  may  Ije  better 
nourished  and  be  relieved  from  the  danger  of  disease  that  lurks 
in  much  of  the  cow's  milk  that  finds  its  way  to  such  households. 
Besides,  if  such  a  family  possesses  a  milk-giving  goat,  it  will  save 
many  dollars  to  the  owner  during  many  months  of  the  year,  and 
the  prol)lem  of  obtaining  a  livelihood  will  not  be  so  difficult  of 
solution. 

It  is  everywhere  acknowledged  that  the  best  way  to  help  people 
who  need  assistance  is  to  help  them  to  help  themselves.  To  intro- 
duce the  milch  goat  into  communities  such  as  the  suburbs  of  our 
large  cities  or  into  the  coal-mining  districts,  will  almost  certainly 
work  out  wonderfully  in  economic  results.  German  writers  say 
boldly  that  the  milch  goat  in  its  later  development  has  done  great 
service  to  the  state,  in  that  it  supplies  a  want  which  before  caused 
great  unrest  among  the  peasantry. 

The  real  demand  for  milch  goats  will  not  cease.  The  need 
will  always  be  present  so  long  as  there  are  mothers  who  can  not 
or  who  will  not  nurse  their  infants — so  long  as  there  is  tubercu- 
lous cow's  milk — so  long  as  there  are  children  that  need  more 
nourishing  food  than  is  supplied  to  them — so  long  as  there  are 
peo])le  who  can  afford  to  own  a  goat  but  not  a  cow. 

Tbe  Milk  of  tlic  Goat. 

Its  rarious  uses. — The  various  uses  of  the  milk  in  its  natural 
state  (butter,  cheese,  and  whey  not  considei'ed)  are  these:  (1) 
Food  for  the  poor;  (2)  food  for  the  invalid;  (3)  food  for  infants; 
(4)  medicine  for  certain  diseases. 

As  a  rule  the  goat  is  the  only  useful  domestic  animal  of  the 
poorer  people  of  Germany,  especially  of  the  day  laborer,  and  it 
plays  an  important  part  in  his  household.  Of  necessity,  it  plays 
the  part  that  the  cow  does  in  the  households  of  the  better  classes. 
Says  Dettweiler:  "It  furnishes  to  its  owner  without  doubt  the 
best  milk  for  nourishing  infants,  for  the  household,  for  the  cook- 
ing of  food,  and  for  coffee,  besides  butter  and  cheese.  When  one 
considers  that  it  very  often  depends  solelv  on  the  milk  production 
of  the  goat  whether  the  nutrition  of  the  child  and  the  whole  fam.ily 
is  bad  or  good,  and  the  nutrition  from  infancy  on  has  a  bearing  on 


180  MILCH   GOATS. 

the  ability  to  a  greater  or  a  comparatively  small  amount  of  work 
in  later  life,  then  one  will  believe  me  when  I  say  that  the  goat 
is  in  a  position  to  wield  a  great  influence  in  sustaining  life." 

Petersen,  having  the  peasantry  of  Germany  in  mind,  sums  up 
the  value  of  the  goats  in  this  wise:  (1)  The  possibility  of  pro- 
curing a  goat  is  generally  within  the  reach  of  the  poorest  families; 
(2)  the  risk  and  the  insurance  premium  are  disproportionately 
much  less  in  the  case  of  the  goat;  (3)  the  goat  utilizes  its  food 
better  than  the  cow,  and  gives  considerably  more  milk  in  propor- 
tion to  its  body  weight;  (4)  the  goat  is  satisfied  with  little  feed, 
and  with  feed  of  any  sort,  which  is  to  be  had  at  much  less  cost; 
(5)  by  keeping  two  goats  instead  of  a  cow,  the  family  of  the 
working  man  may  be  provided  during  the  entire  year  with  milk 
by  the  proper  regulation  of  the  time  of  tlie  birth  of  tlie  kid;  (G) 
the  goat  gives  a  more  wholesome  milk  tlian  the  cow  and  the  milk 
is  richer  in  fats." 

Hilpert,  in  discussing  the  keeping  of  goats  from  a  patriotic 
and  social  standpoint,  comments  as  follows:  "As  to  the  question 
of  human  nourisliment,  the  goat  occupies  an  important  position. 
It  yields  a  wholesome  nourishment  for  the  family,  serves  as  a  use- 
ful and  agreeable  occupation  for  wife  and  children,  and  awakens 
in  its  owner  a  desire  for  industry  and  a  spirit  of  frugality.  So 
long  as  the  workingman  is  glad  in  the  possession  of  a  business, 
lias  a  small  bit  of  ground  to  call  his  own,  and  has  a  profitable 
domestic  animal,  just  so  long  will  he  be  an  opponent  of  social 
strife,  a  careful  provider  for  the  family,  and  an  adherent  of  some 
recognized  creed." 

Hoffman  says  that  in  75  per  cent  of  tlie  households  of  Ger- 
many where  goats  are  kept  they  play  an  important  role,  not  alone 
with  the  poorer  classes,  but  with  the  more  prosperous  middle 
classes  as  well. 

The  following  from  Deltweiler  shows  something  of  the  use  of 
goat's  milk  for  the  food  of  the  family  in  Saxony:  "The  cattle 
owners  who  keep  goats  in  addition  to  one  or  two  cows,  number 
13,400,  with  17,439  goats.  If  tliis  number  be  included  with  the 
one  above,  it  is  evident  that  with  60,974  goats  owners  keeping 
80,048  goats,  or  about  75  per  cent  of  all  the  goat  owners  in  Saxony, 
the  goat  plays  an  important  role  as  the  source  of  the  milk  of  the 
household ;  likewise  that  the  homes  that  are  here  under  considera- 
tion belong  to  that  class  of  i)eo])le  Avbo  are  without  much  means. 
Especially  in  the  industrial  .listrids  of  tbe  mountains,  Avith  a 
])reponderanee  of  the  smaller  itiiiiiufactoi-ics,  tbe  goat  is  the  sup- 
])orter  of  the  family — in  a  broad  sense,  of  the  ])eo]ile  among  whii-h 


182  MILCH   GOATS. 

it  liJids  Its  manifold  iibcs.  In  this  way  it  comes  about  that  goat's 
milk  is  such  a  universally  established  food  material  and  one  of 
which  the  people  have  become  so  fond  that  they  will  pay  the  same 
price  (or  in  many  places  even  a  pfennig  higher  price)  for  it  than 
for  cow's  milk,  which  latter  serves  to  help  out  when  there  is  a 
scarcity  of  goat's  milk.  The  reason  for  this  may  be  found  in  the 
higher  nutritive  value  of  goat's  milk,  and  the  assertion  is  often 
made  here  that  anyone  who  has  become  accustomed  to  the  use  of 
goat's  milk  for  coffee  feels  it  a  degradation  if  he  is  compelled  to 
be  content  with  cow's  milk  in  its  stead,  which  is  not  so  good 
tasted  and.  is  poorer  in  fat  than  goat's  milk.  But  the  goat  is 
beginning  to  rise  in  prominence  and  gain  in  numljers  in  highly 
developed,  thickly  settled  districts  where  the  people  arc  more 
prosperous." 

It  may  have  already  occurred  to  the  reader  that  cow's  milk  is 
the  universal  milk  of  mankind  and  is,  witlial,  a  very  good  product, 
and  is  rendered  free  from  tubercle  l)acilli  ])y  boiling.  The  advo- 
cates of  goat's  milk  assert  that  boiling  tran.^forms  the  casein  into 
a  condition  in  which  it  is  very  ditticult  of  digestion.  Dr.  Schwartz, 
medical  counsellor  for  Cologne,  holds  this  opinion  and  says  that 
"it  has  come  about  that  very  often  the  boiling  of  milk  is  dis- 
pensed with."  He  also  states  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  accomplish 
complete  sterilization  of  milk. 

WHiilc  discussing  this  feature,  let  us  quote  Renesse:  "At  the 
present  time  the  effort  is  made  to  sterilize  the  milk  by  long  con- 
tinued cooking  and  to  make  it  free  of  all  germs,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose the  most  complicated  apparatuses  have  been  put  upon  the 
market.  But  it  has  been  scientifically  demonstrated  that  impor- 
tant substances  are  destroyed  in  the  milk  simultaneously  with  the 
long  continued  cooking,  which  are  of  groat  value  in  the  feeding 
of  suckling  babes,  especially  in  the  development  of  llie  l)onv  frame- 
work, and  so  it  transpires  that  these  so-called  'bottle  l)abies'  develop 
a  picture  of  illness  similar  to  rhachitis,  in  spite  of  the  greatest 
care  on  the  part  of  the  parents.  Furthermore,  it  turns  out  that 
the  washing  of  the  apparatus  requires  so  much  vigilance  and  time 
that  the  question  of  the  use  of  it  can  not  be  entertained  in  the 
case  of  the  incredulous  working  man  who  has  quite  a  number  of 
children  and  where  the  mother  takes  the  entire  care  of  the  house." 

Goat's  milk  is  said  to  be  especially  desirable  for  use  in  tea 
and  coffee  and  for  pastry ;  and  that  whoever  l)ecomes  accustomed  to 
using  it  thus  prefers  it  to  any  other  kind.  They  like  its  taste  and 
recognize  its  wholesomeness.  It  is  recommended  that,  if  one  pur- 
poses to  use  goat's  milk  instead  of  that  of  the  cow,  two  goats  be 


MILCH  GOATS. 


183 


employed,  one  of  wliich  should  become  "■fresh"  in  the  spring  and 
the  other  in  the  fall.  By  this  means  a  constant  supply  is  possible, 
whereas  with  one  animal  it  would  not  be  possible. 

While  we  are  discussing  the  use  of  this  milk  as  food  for  the 
family,  it  will  be  interesting  to  read  what  was  recently  written  to 
the  American  Sheep  Breeder  by  J.  E.  Chisholm,  of  Xorth  Queens- 
land, Australia,  who  said:  "We  had  a  terrible  season  last  year 
and  most  of  us  lost  heavily  in  sheep,  but  the  goats  kept  us  going 
in  milk  all  the  time,  and  it  was  in  that  dry  time  I  overcame  my 


COMMON  MILCH  GOAT  OF  QUEENSLAND.  AUSTRALIA. 


prejudice  and  ate  and  relished  goat  meat,  or,  as  you  would  call 
it  '^venison.'  The  goats  served  us  well  unlil  the  rains  came.  I've 
just  asked  m_y  girls  aljout  the  flock,  and  they  tell  me  they  milk 
eighteen  nannies  and  make  four  or  five  pounds  of  butter  weekly 
from  them  and  have,  besides,  an  abundance  of  milk  for  our  house- 
hold of  seven  and  a  hired  man.    We  think  of  selling  our  cattle." 

As  food  for  invalids  the  milk  of  the  goat  is  almost  universally 
endorsed.  This  is  not  only  so  because  of  its  apparent  medicinal 
qualities,  which  are  discussed  a  little  further  along,  but  because  of 
its  high  content  of  solids,  which  average  a  little  over  14  per  cent, 
and  also  because  of  its  easy  digestibility.  This  latter  characteristic 
is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  globules  of  goat's  milk  are  much  smaller 


184  MILCH  GOATS. 

than  Ihoso  of  cow's  milk,  and  therefore  the  fat  remains  longer  as 
an  emulsion.  Goat's  milk  creams  very  slowly  and  usually  very 
unsatisfactorily,  owing  to  the  smallness  of  the  fat  globules. 

The  tables  of  analyses  given  show  the  fat  of  goat's  milk  averages 
about  4.5  per  cent.  A  recent  writer  in  the  Kural  World  says  it 
would  be  accurate  to  say  that  goat's  milk  contains  about  twice  as 
much  fat  as  that  of  the  average  Shorthorn  cow  and  is  far  superior 
to  that  yielded  by  the  best  Jerseys.  The  same  writer  (Sirgar) 
says:  "Individual  instances,  though  they  do  not,  of  course,  prove 
the  average,  may  ])e  quoted  to  show  its  extraordinary  richness. 
The  milk  of  an  Angora  goat  which  was  analyzed  by  F.  S.  Lloyd, 
analyst  to  the  British  Farmers'  Association,  contained  no  less  than 
8.G9  per  cent  of  butter  fat,  and  9.85  per  cent  of  casein  and  milk 
sugar,  the  water  amounting  to  only  80.53  per  cent;  the  water  in 
the  average  cow's  milk  would  be  about  87  per  cent.  A  crossbred 
Toggenburger  and  Nubian  goat  gave  8.11  per  cent  of  fat,  and  we 
have  seen  no  Jersey  records  that  have  reached  these  figures." 

This  from  Hilpert  is  direct:  "That  it  serves  as  a  means  of 
preserving  health,  witness  the  cures  with  goat's  milk  in  the  moun- 
tain sanitaria,  especially  for  pulmonary  diseases."  -  It  is  certainly 
the  best  kind  of  argument  that  whatever  acts  as  a  curative  agent 
should  be  the  very  best  preventive  agent  as  well. 

A  strong  argument  is  made  by  Eenesse  for  the  use  of  goat's 
milk  as  a  preventive  of  tuberculosis.  In  his  paper  he  states  that 
in  Germany  100,000  people  die  annually  from  tulierculosis  and 
the  number  of  those  who  are  sick  with  the  disease  is  estimated  at 
ten  times  as  many;  and  they  are,  as  a  rule,  persons  in  the  prime 
of  life.  And  this  is  not  all — these  tuberculous  persons,  through 
their  long  period  of  illness,  are  ever  a  menace  to  those  who  are 
not  already  infected.  To  counteract  these  conditions,  Renessc 
advocates  goat's  milk  as  a  curative  and  preventive  agent. 

In  connection  with  the  consideration  of  goat's  milk  as  a  food 
for  invalids,  one  should  read  what  is  said  further  on  regarding 
the  relationship  of  goat's  milk  to  tuberculosis. 

The  use  of  this  milk  for  infants — say,  babes  under  a  year  old — 
has  given  rise  to  contrary  opinions.  Those  who  have  studied  the 
goat's  milk  as  a  diet  all  agree  to  its  beneficial  results  upon  all  who 
are  old  enough  to  have  a  good  flow  from  the  salivary  glands,  but 
some  maintain  that  it  may  take  the  place  of  human  milk  from  the 
birth  of  a  child.  For  instance,  Dettweiler  says:  "Goat's  milk 
most  nearly  resembles  woman's  milk,  and,  on  account  of  the  ease 
with  which  it  is  digested,  is  attended  with  happy  results  in  the 
ease  of  the  feeding  of  the  sick  and  children."     Hoffman  says: 


MILCH  GOATS. 


185 


"Goat's  milk  more  nearly  resembles  mother's  milk  than  cow's  milk 
when  it  comes  to  infant  feeding."  He  also  states  that  in  Germany 
many  children  take  the  milk  direct  from  the  udder  "as  the  kid 
does"  and  thus  escapes  any  chance  of  milk  infection.  Zurn  men- 
tions the  same  practice  and  also  says  that  goats  will  consent  to 
suckle  other  young  animals,  such  as  colts  and  little  pigs. 

"Goats  should  prove  to  be  very  valuable  as  nurses.  Professor 
Magne  makes  note  in  regard  to  this  fact  in  his  'Handbook,  of  Agri- 
cultural Cattle  Breeding.'  Goats  are  good  mothers  and  readily 
adopt  infants,  calves,  lambs,  etc.  The  use  of  goats  for  suckling 
infants  is  familiar  enough  (in  Germany,  I  do  not  know  so  much 
about  it).  In  this  regard  they  are  of  great  value.  The  goats  con- 
ceive a  liking  for  the  life  which  they  nourish,  since  they  conduct 
themselves  wath  extraordinary  ready  willingness  toward  the  one 
who  takes  their  milk  in  the  matter  of  gratifying  the  whims  of  the 
suckling  or  of  the  person  who  milks  them.  With  lambs,  they  will 
lie  down  entirely  when  these  can  not  easily  reach  the  udder,  and 
with  infants  they  will  submit  to  being  brought  indoors  that  they 
may  be  placed  upon  the  cradle  (bed)."     (B.  K.  Haddrup.) 

A  contrary  opinion  as  to  the  value  of  this  milk  for  babes  is  ex- 
pressed by  a  few  who  state  that  the  greatest  objection  to  the  use 
of  goat's  milk  is  its  indigestibility,  not  only  for  the  new-born  but 
also  for  adults.  The  Milch-Zeitung  (vol.  25,  p.  716)  says:  "Most 
of  the  authors  who  are  assured  of  the  complete  digestibility  of 
goat's  milk  and  Avho  recommend  its  use  above  all  others  base  their 
opinions  on  results  obtained  from  feeding  children  several  months 
old.  ^  *  *  *  Ought  not  tlie  great  richness  of  casein  which 
goat's  milk  possesses,  as  compared  Avith  woman's  milk,  make  the 
milk  harder  to  digest?"  This  paper  points  out  the  function  of 
saliva  in  the  process  of  digestion,  and  says  that,  in  the  case  of  the 
new-born  infant,  the  role  of  saliva  is  almost  nothing. 

The  chemist  of  the  Philadelphia  board  of  health  has  published 
two  analyses  of  human  milk,  one  wlien  the  glands  were  probably 
nearly  empty  and  the  other  when  full.  The  average  of  the  two  are 
given  herewith  and  Hoffman's  analysis  of  goat's  milk  and  cow's 
milk  added  to  the  table  for  use  in  comparison.  All  are  in  per- 
centages : 


Element 
Albumin  and  casein 

Fat ;; '■ 

Sugar .... 


1.885 
4  440 
5.850 


4^73 
4.50 


4.00 
.3.50 
4.50 


156  MILCH   GOATS. 

It  will  1)0  noted  that  in  the  matter  of  albumin  and  casein 
human  milk  falls  far  short  of  the  goat,  and  the  goat  shows  a  con- 
siderably lower  percentage  than  the  cow's  milk.  There  is  not 
much  difference  between  tlu^  fat  content  of  human  milk  and  goat's 
milk.  Human  milk  is  much  richer  in  milk  sugar  than  that  of  the 
goat. 

This  phase  of  the  subject  is  so  important  that  it  will  bear  a 
somewhat  lengthy  quotation  from  Dr.  0.  G.  Place,  of  Boulder, 
Colo.,  whose  fields  of  observation  have  been  New  York  City,  Chi- 
cago, London,  and  Paris  among  the  larger  cities,  and  many  of  the 
cities  of  Italy,  Arabia,  India,  China,  and  Japan.  He  says  in  a 
recent  letter:  "Anyone  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  look  up  the 
data  will  readily  see  that  in  those  countries  where  the  goat  is  do- 
mesticated and  its  milk  is  used  in  the  family  there  is  very  little 
tuberculosis,  almost  no  scrofulous  glands,  and  the  infant  mortality 
is  decidedly  less  for  those  children  which  use  the  milk. 

"There  is  certainly  no  danger  in  infection  from  either  the 
milk  or  the  meat  of  the  goat.  The  following  table  will  help  us  to 
draw  conclusions  along  this  line.  This  shows  the  infant  mortality 
in  the  several  countries  named  per  1,000 : 

United  States,  approximately  200 

Entrland 197 

Asiatic  countries  (European  children) 150  to  170 

Italy KM 

Norway 44 

"The  Asiatic  countries  do  not  have  the  sanitary  enlightenment 
that  is  boasted  of  in  this  country  and  in  England,  and  yet  we  find 
to-day  not  only  the  death  rate-  lower  in  infants,  but  we  also  find 
markedly  less  tuberculosis  among  the  adults.  Asia  is  a  goat 
country. 

"Italy  is  a  country  noted  for  its  unsanitary  customs,  and  yet 
we  find  the  infant  mortality  66  per  cent  less  than  in  our  own 
country;  and  here,  too,  tuberculosis  is  seldom  found.  Italy  is 
decidedly  a  goat  country,  and  there  the  feeding  bottle  is  scarcely 
heard  of.  Children  that  are  not  so  fortunate  as  to  be  nursed  by 
their  mother  find  in  the  little  Italian  goat  their  next  best  friend. 
It  is  not  an  uncommon  sight  there  to  see  an  infant  or  small  child 
drawing  its  dinner  direct  from  the  little  goat,  which  has  been 
•brought  onto  the  steps  or  into  the  house  for  the  purpose. 

"In  Xorway,  which  is  a  colder  climate,  and  where  people  no 
doubt  live  more  in  harmony  with  sanitary  laAvs  than  any  other 
country  in  the  world,  we  get  the  low  death  rate  of  44  per  1,000. 
Here  if  a  mother  does  not  have  nourishment  for  her  child,  some 
other  mother  nurses  it  for  her  as  a  rule ;  but  where  no  mother  is 


HORNLESS  BUCK.     From  Hilpert. 


STAKKENBUROEK  BUCK.    From  Hilpert, 


188  MILCH   GOATS. 

at  hand  the  milk  of  the  goat  is  the  universal  food,  and  this  is  fed 
direct  from  the  little  bowl  into  which  the  goat  is  milked.  F'eeding 
bottles  are  unknown  in  this  country." 

What  has  been  said  in  the  preceding  pages  concerning  the  rela- 
tionship of  goat's  milk  to  health  has  its  application  in  the  use  of 
the  milk  more  as  a  preventive  than  as  a  curative  agent.  The  use 
of  the  milk  and  also  the  whey  as  a  medicine,  or  curative  agent,  are 
considered  at  some  length  in  a  brochure  issued  by  C.  F.  Keuss 
in  Leipzig  in  1763.  He  states  that  in  the  days  of  Hippocrates 
the  milk  cure  was  ordered  to  be  taught  in  the  medical  schools  as 
a  curative  of  almost  all  breast  affections  and  consumption;  and 
he  gives  a  long  list  of  old  physicians  who  used  the  cure,  naming 
the  disease  treated  by  each.  Some  of  the  diseases  mentioned  are 
arthritis,  nephritis,  goat,  whooping  cough,  scurvy,  jaundice,  diar- 
rhea, worms,  and  inflammation  of  the  liver. 

Keuss  states  that  these  old  physicians  ascribed  the  curative 
properties  of  the  milk  to  the  kinds  of  herlis  which  the  goats  ate. 
He  also  says:  "It  is  well  known  to  the  medical  profession  that 
the  marked  laxative  quality  and  the  characteristic  smell  of  goat 
milk  depends  to  a  large  extent  upon  the  food  which  they  get.  And 
likewise  it  is  easy  to  reach  the  conclusion  that  the  efficacy  and 
qualities  of  other  drugs  (than  the  laxatives)  easily  pass  over  into 
the  milk.  And  right  here  also  belongs  the  further  statement  that 
the  goats  give  a  rather  large  amount  of  milk,  the  whole  spring, 
throughout  the  summer,  and  a  part  of  the  fall,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  fact  that  the  goats  are  much  stronger  and  digest  their  food 
better  than  sheep  do." 

So  much  for  the  milk  cure  as  a  matter  of  history.  While  milk 
may  not  now  be  generally  considered  a  medicine,  it  forms  an  im- 
portant part  of  the  sick-room  diet.  The  relationship  between  milk 
and  medicine  is  very  dos-e  indeed.  This  is  especially  true  of  the 
milk  of  the  goat. 

Quantity. — Question:  How  mu:h  milk  will  a  goat  give?  An- 
swer: How  long  is  a  string?  With  goats,  as  with  cows,  so  much 
depends  upon  individuality,  breed,  feed,  and  care  that  it  is  not 
possible  to  say  how  much  milk  goats  will  give.  We  may,  however, 
arrive  at  an  approximate  conclusion  if  we  study  the  animal  with 
the  above  elements  in  mind. 

A  goat  which  gives  less  than  a  quart  a  day  is  not  to  be  con- 
sidered a  good  milch  animal;  if  it  yields  2  quarts  it  is  a  good  ani- 
mal, provided  the  period  of  lactation  (which  is  discussed  el.se- 
wherc)  is  not  brief.  In  the  European  countries  the  stoats  which 
yield  from  3  to  5  quarts  a  day  are  numerous  and  the  period  of 
lactation  is  a  long  one. 


MILCH  GOATS.  189 

Indeed,  it  is  stated  in  the  German  literature  on  this  subject 
that  many  goats  yield  ten  times  their  body  weight  of  milk  annu- 
ally and  exceptional  animals  as  much  as  eighteen  times  their 
weight.  This  is  very  much  greater  than  the  yield  of  cows  pro- 
portionately. On  this  point  Petersen  says:  "In  its  form  the  goat 
exhibits,  as  it  were,  the  complete  type  of  a  milch  animal  and  by 
demonstration  gives  annually  ten  to  sixteen  times  its  own  weight 
in  milk  and  considerably  more  even,  whereas,  in  the  case  of  the 
cow,  we  must  be  well  satisfied  with  five  times  its  weight."  This 
from  Zurn :  "The  milk  reaches  ordinarily  ten  to  twelve  times  the 
body  weight,  exceptionally  eighteen  times  this  weight,  in  each  year. 
In  the  case  of  very  good  goats,  4  to  5  liters^  can  be  produced  for 
each  kilogram-  of  body  weight,  or,  at  the  least  estimate,  double 
what  a  good  milch  cow  can  show  for  each  kilogram  of  her  weight." 

It  is  a  good  goat  of  any  breed  that  will  give  2  quarts  of  milk 
a  day  for  seven  or  eight  months  of  the  year.  One  that  will  give 
more  than  this  is  specially  desirable.  The  Angora  goat,  which  is 
not  considered  a  good  milch  animal,  owing  to  the  uncertain  quan- 
tity and  its  covering  of  long  hair,  gives  from  2  to  3  liters  of  very 
rich  milk.  The  Nubian  produces  from  5  to  12  liters.  The  yield 
of  the  best  goats  of  Switzerland  is,  on  an  average,  abovit  4  liters  per 
day.  This  amount  is  not  produced  without  proper  care  and  feed. 
To  show  how  the  yield  varies,  Dcttweiler  is  quoted  with  reference 
to  the  annual  yield  per  head  of  24  goats  in  the  vicinity  of  Alten- 
burg,  Geising,  and  Lauenstein: 

9  gave  600  to  700  liters.  I  1  gave  900  to  1.000  liters. 

7  gave  700  to  800  liters.  3  gave  over  1,000  liters. 

4  gave  800  to  900  liters.  I 

Ten  animals  in  the  city  of  Sebnitz  were  also  reported  upon, 
and  their  production  annually  was  as  here  given : 

2  gave  600  to  700  liters.  I  1  gave  900  to  1,000  liters. 

3  gave  700  to  800  liters.  1  gave  1,100  to  1.200  liters. 
3  gave  800  to  900  liters.                  I  1  gave  over  1,200  liters. 

These  goats  were  not  of  any  particular  Ijreed,  but  they  had 
been  bred  from  selected  parents,  as  are  all  the  goats  in  Germany. 
This  illustrates  what  may  be  done  in  our  own  country  with  the 
goats  we  now  have  if  we  handle  them  properly, 

Petersen  records  the  statement  that  one  Langensalzaer  goat 
gave  1,800  liters  in  one  year.  He  also  says  that  this  breed  has 
given  a  maximum  daily  yield  of  10  liters. 

Analysis. — It  is  not  probable  that  any  two  analyses  of  the  milk 
of  any  animal  would  agree ;  indeed,  analyses  of  the  milk  taken  at 

lA  liter  is  1.0567  quarts. 

=A  kilogram    is  approximately   2.20   pounds. 


190. 


MILCH  GOATS. 


different  times  of  the  day  seldom  agree  exactly.  The  ingredieuts 
of  milk  are  governed,  fir!-t,  by  the  species  of  animal,  and  then  by 
the  kind  of  feed  it  consumes,  the  time  of  day  when  the  milk  is 
taken,  and  by  the  part  of  a  particular  milking,  whether  the  first 
part  or  the  last,  and  other  minor  causes.  Therefore  an  analysis 
of  milk  is  only  a  general  guide  to  its  composition,  and  any  varia- 
tion between  analyses  does  not  prove  that  cither  or  anyone  of  them 
is  wrong.  The  analyses  which  are  here  quoted  from  several  dif- 
ferent authorities  are  not  from  individual  goats,  or  from  one  milk- 
ing, but  are  the  averages  of  a  number  of  analyses  and  are,  there- 
fore, a  very  good  basis  from  which  to  form  conclusions. 

The  following  is  from  Eenesse,  and  shows  a   comparison  in 
percentages  between  goat's  milk  and  cow's  milk: 


Element. 

Goat. 

Cow. 

Water 

85  .W 
5.00 
4.80 
4.00 
.70 

87.25 

Albumin  and  casein 

3  90 

Fat                          

3.30 

Susar 

4  60 

A^h^::;:;:::: :::::; :::;:;:::; :;:::::::::;:::::;::::::;;:;::::;::::::: 

We  find  in  the  Oesterrcichisches  landwirthschaftliches  wochon- 
blatt  another  comparison  in  percentages  between  the  milk  of  the 
goat  and  that  of  the  cow: 


Element. 

Goat. 

Cow. 

Water. 

8.5.6 

3.5 
1.3 
4.6 
4.3 

87.5 

Albumin            

.5 

Fat 

3  5 

Professor   Hoffman  gives  the  following  percentages   in  com- 
paring goat's  milk  and  cow's  milk: 


Element. 

Goat. 

Cow. 

Water 

86.19 
3  68 
4.73 
4.50 
.90 

87.50 

Albumin  and  casein 

4.00 

Fat 

3..50 

4..50 

Salts 

.50 

The  above  three  analyses  are  all  of  foreign  goats.  The  total 
solids  shown  jjy  them  are,  respectively,  1-1.50,  14.40,  and  13.81 
per  cent.  The  two  analyses  of  foreign  cow's  milk  show,  respect- 
ively, 12.50  and  12.50  per  cent.    The  difference  in  favor  of  goat's 


HINTEKWAL.DKK   DOE.     From  Dettweiler. 


192  AULCH  GOATS. 

milk  is  one  that  is  maintained  in  general  in  all  analyses.  An 
American  analysis  of  goat's  milk — one  reported  in  1896  by  the 
chemist  of  the  board  of  health  of  Philadelphia — shows  the  total 
solids  to  be  16.33  per  cent.  This  indicates  a  very  rich  milk.  The 
same  anah>is  shows  a  percentage  of  5.11  for  sugar  and  of  5.8;) 
for  fat.  This  analysis,  it  should  be  stated,  is  of  the  milk  of  one 
goat  and  in  all  probability  does  not  represent  the  quality  of  the 
American  goats,  as  a  whole.    Who  would  not  wish  that  it  were  so? 

Quality. — The  element  of  quality  is  shown  in  detail  in  the  para- 
graphs under  the  head  of  "Analyses."  This  entire  chapter  has  to 
deal  with  quality,  but  the  reader  is  referred  especially  to  the  re- 
marks under  the  head  of  "Its  various  uses." 

Period  of  lactation. — This  is  a  feature  which,  at  first  glance, 
would  not  seem  to  be  appropriate  under  the  head  of  milk;  but  the 
period  of  lactation  is  so  intimately  connected  with  the  quantity 
which  may  be  produced  that  it  must  be  discussed  here  in  order  to 
best  elucidate  th(>  subject. 

The  period  of  lactation,  as  in  the  case  of  the  quantity,  depends 
almost  wholly  upon  the  individuality  of  the  goat,  its  ancestry,  and 
upon  the  feed  and  care  which  it  may  receive. 

In  a  general  sense  it  may  be  said  that  the  period  of  lactation 
is  about  7  months.  Many  give  milk  8  and  9  months,  even  10,  and 
pome  would  continue  throughout  the  year  if  permitted ;"  but  it  is 
not  well  to  permit  the  milk  to  flow  up  to  the  time  of  the  birth  of 
a  new  kid,  as  it  works  injury  both  to  the  does  and  the  kid.  On 
this  point,  we  quote  from  a  correspondent  of  the  Landwirthschaft- 
liche  Zeitung:  "A  doe  giving  milk  continuously  during  9  to  10 
months  can  be  made  to  do  so  during  11  months  and  even  for  the 
entire  year  through  by  generous  feeding  and  good  feed  in  winter." 
A  goat  that  is  compelled  to  find  most  of  its  food,  and  if  such  as  it 
gets  is  not  very  suitalile  for  milk  production,  the  yield  will  be  low 
and  the  duration  of  lactation  about  3  or  4  months. 

If  there  is  a  milch  goat  industry  built  up  in  this  country,  it 
will  be  established  to  a  large  extent  among  the  poorer  people,  who 
are  unable  to  own  and  feed  a  cow ;  and  these  people  will  have  need 
of  a  supply  of  milk  throughout  the  year.  Every  such  family 
should  have  at  least  two  goats,  and  matters  should  be  so  arranged 
as  to  have  them  become  fresh  alternately  six  months  apart.  Thus 
each  doe  would  drop  kids  but  once  a  year,  and  they  ought  to  be  of 
such  breeding  and  have  such  feeding  as  would  insure  a  constant 
su])ply  of  milk. 

Flavor. — People  are  inclined  to  believe  many  things  that  are 
not  true,  and  one  of  them  is  tliat  there  is  an  inherent  ill  flavor  in 


MILCH  GOATS.  193 

the  milk  of  the  goat.  Tliercfore,  without  parley,  they  decide  that 
they  have  no  use  for  either  the  milk  or  the  animal.  Briefly,  it 
may  be  said  that  this  is  erroneous.  However,  in  order  to  under- 
stand the  matter,  an  explanation  is  necessary.  If  the  goats  are 
allowed  to  roam  about  and  eat  weeds  and  twigs  and  all  kinds  of 
vegetation  at  will  ^^'hile  they  are  giving  milk,  the  milk  is  apt  to  be 
strong,  or  of  ill  flavor.  The  tendency  of  the  goat  is  to  eat  these 
very  things  at  all  times,  and  so  it  is  but  natural  always  to  expect 
to  note  their  influence  upon  the  quality  of  the  milk.  On  the  con- 
trary, if  the  animal  is  fed  properh",  with  the  purpose  in  view  of 
obtaining  palatable  milk,  no  ill  flavor  is  noticed.  Switzerland  is 
one  of  the  greatest  of  milch  goat  countries,  and  travelers  there, 
always  observe  that  the  milk  of  the  goat  possesses  a  strong  flavor. 
Bryan  Hook,  as  well  as  some  of  the  German  writers,  state  that  the 
animals  there  are  not  fed,  but  find  it  necessary  to  gather  their 
subsistence  from  between  the  rocks  on  the  mountain  sides,  where 
much  of  the  vegetation  is  made  up  of  aromatic  plants.  Hook 
further  says:  "The  milk  from  goats  fed  upon  what  an  English 
meadow  or  roadside  yields  has  no  flavor  to  distinguish  it  from 
cow's  milk,  except,  perhaps,  its  extra  sweetness  and  creaminess;  ia 
short,  it  is  only  distinguishable  by  its  superiority." 

Felix  Hilpert,  a  well-known  German  writer  on  milch  goats, 
says  that  milk  with  good  taste  may  be  obtained  if  the  following 
points  are  scrupulously  observed:  (1)  Good  stable,  dry  stall,  clean 
hands  and  bucket  at  milking  time;  (2)  daily  cleansing  of  the 
skin  and  washing  off  of  the  udder  with  warm  water  before  milk- 
ing; (3)  the  feeding  of  wholesome,  pure,  and  "good  tasting"  (not 
strong  tasting)  food;  (4)  attention  to  fresh  air  in  the  stall,  and, 
if  possible,  allowing  the  goats  to  exercise  in  the  open  air. 

The  Milch-Zeitung  (vol.  xxv.,  p.  G99)  says:  "An  after-taste 
of  goat's  milk,  according  to  statements  of  veterinarians,  should 
not  exist,  and,  if  any  rich  taste  or  smell  should  exist  it  must  be 
traced  to  unclean  stables  or  bad  feed.  Even  cow's  milk  very  fre- 
quently smells  badly  under  these  conditions." 

Dettweiler  says:  "It  [the  milk]  possesses  a  singular  but  not 
unpleasant  sharp  taste,  the  strength  of  which  varies  with  the  feed- 
ing and  keeping.  The  better  the  feed,  the  cleaiier  the  bedding, 
the  better  ventilated  the  stall,  and  the  more  painstaking  the  care, 
just  so  much  more  pleasing  will  be  the  taste  of  the  milk.  The 
goatish  taste  is  always  to  be  attributed  to  the  lack  of  attention  to 
one  or  more  of  these  points." 

Kloepfer  says:  "A  scrupulous  care  of  the  skin  itself  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  even  with  the  best  conditions  of  bedding.     If  the 


194  MILCH  GOATS. 

pores  of  the  skin,  which  partly  serve  to  bring  air  into  the  body 
and  partly  to  emit  excrementitous  materials  [such  as  perspira- 
tion] from  it  become  filled  Avith  dirt  and  stopped  up,  on  the  one 
hand,  metabolism  suffers  and,  on  the  other,  these  materials  remain 
in  the  body,  the  proper  excretion  of  which  is  interfered  with.  Thus 
the  rather  unpleasant  after-taste  of  goat  milk,  for  the  most  part, 
is  to  be  traced  to  the  fact  that  the  gaseous  and  liquid  excrementi- 
tous materials  can  not  pass  from  the  body  because  of  the  occlusion 
of  the  pores  of  the  skin  and  they  therefore  impart  to  the  milk  their 
unpleasant  taste.  The  milk  of  healthy  and  cleanly  goats  has  the 
same  good  wholesome  taste  that  cow"s  milk  has  and  excels  it  in  the 
amount  of  fat  and  albumin  contained.  For  these  reasons  it  is 
imperative  carefully  to  observe  the  following  points:  (1)  To  clean 
with  a  brush  and  coml)  the  hair,  first  upward,  then  lightly  down- 
ward, each  day;  (2)  to  wash  the  goats  with  soda  water  or  soap 
suds  on  still  sunny  days  in  the  spring  before  turning  them  out 
to  pasture  antl  in  the  fall  before  housing  them,  repeating  the  opera- 
tion a  few  days  later  in  each  season.  By  this  means  all  vermin  is 
destroyed  and  many  skin  diseases  prevented;  (3)  to  look  carefully 
after  the  cleanliness  of  the  udder  l)y  washing  it  frequently  and 
with  great  care  and  pains." 

These  opinions  of  writers  of  prominence  and  men  of  experi- 
ence are  given  to  point  out  the  source  of  unpalatable  milk  and  also 
the  way  it  may  be  avoided.  If  a  goat  is  fed  all  sorts  of  vegetable 
rubbish,  it  must  not  be  expected  to  yield  milk  of  the  best  flavor. 
Onions,  garlic,  aromatic  plants,  and  all  varieties  of  twigs  and 
bark  alone  are  not  the  best  for  good  milk.  We  should  not  forget 
the  philosophy  of  the  old  saw  that  "you  can't  make  a  silk  purse 
out  of  a  sow's  ear."  If  the  same  sanitary  practices  obtain  in  the 
goat  dairy  that  are  now  followed  by  the  best  cattle  dairies  there 
need  be  no  fear  of  unpalatable  milk.  However,  goat's  milk  has 
a  characteristic  taste  which,  it  is  said,  is  always  distinguishable 
in  some  degree,  but  not  so  pronounced  in  the  fresh  state.  This 
may  be  so  far  eradicated  by  good  feeding,  good  care  and  cleanli- 
ness that  it  may  be  almost  imperceptible.  The  taste  can  not  be 
observed  when  the  milk  is  used  in  coffee  or  in  cooking. 

The  milk  of  the  goat  is  nearly  always  pure  white — very  seldom 
having  a  yellowish  tinge — and  it  is  so  thick  as  to  lead  one  not 
familiar  with  it  to  doubt  its  purity  and  wholesomeness. 

Oflor. — Besides  the  flavor  of  the  milk,  which  is  discussed  above, 
there  is  often  a  disagreeable  odor.  This  may  be  due  to  one  or 
more  of  the  various  causes,  but  it  is  not  a  natural  characteristic  and 
therefore,  as  in  the  matter  of  ill  flavor,  may  be  avoided  by  proper 
care.    Dr.  M.  Aiken  of  the  London  Agricultural  Gazette  says  that 


196  MILCH  GOATS. 

the  slight  odor  which  the  milk  sometimes  possesses  is  not  a  char- 
acteristic of  the  milk,  but  is  peculiar  to  the  skin  of  the  goat  and 
is  imparted  to  the  milk  externally.  Zurn  mentions  the  cause  of  the 
odor  and  tells  how  it  may  be  prevented.  He  says:  "It  is  admitted 
that  goat's  milk  sometimes  has  the  smell  of  the  buck.  Much  can 
be  done  toward  lessening  this  and  toward  its  ultimate  entire  re- 
moval by  furnishing  a  dry,  sweet  stall,  bedded  with  lots  of  clean 
straw,  by  good  care  of  the  skin  and  by  permitting  the  continuance 
as  long  a  time  as  possible  in  the  open  air."' 

A  German  agricultural  paper  says  that  in  consequence  of  un- 
cleanliness  and  the  lack  of  proper  action  of  the  skin  there  is  a 
strong  smell  of  a  decomposition  product — namely,  caporic  acid. 
The  article  continues:  "With  a  view  to  the  greatest  possible 
diminution  of  the  goatish  smell  of  the  milk,  there  are  here  given 
the  following  directions  for  good  stable  goats:  (1)  Short  hair; 
(2)  uniformity  of  color;  and  (3)  goats  without  horns.  The 
argument  in  favor  of  .short  hair  is  that  the  skin  may  be  the  better 
cared  for.  With  reference  to  the  color,  it  is  claimed  by  some  that 
the  purer  the  breeds  the  freer  they  are  from  the  disagreeable  odor, 
and  that  a  pure  bred  goat  is  of  solid  color.  IMost  of  the  German 
writers  state  that  goats  without  horns  are  the  better  milch  animals. 
Why  so  the  writer  is  unable  to  say.  The  paper  referred  to  above 
intimates  that  goats  with  horns  are  more  active,  thus  causing 
perspiration,  and  this  gives  rise  to  the  ill  odor.  Hilpert  says  that 
hornless  goats  should  give  milk  less  strong  to  the  taste  than  other 
goats,  but  does  not  give  a  reason  for  his  opinion.  He  makes  a 
point  with  reference  to  the  odor  of  the  milk,  however,  which  breed- 
ers should  note — namely,  that  "at  times  an  individual  character- 
istic is  responsible  for  this,  and  from  such  animals  offspring  should 
not  be  obtained.*'  He  also  says  that  if  the  goat's  milk  savors  of 
the  buck  or  of  manure  it  is  seldom  the  fault  of  the  goat,  but  gen- 
erally that  of  the  OAvner. 

Knowing,  as  we  do  now,  the  cause  of  the  ill  odor  and  how  to 
prevent  it,  there  is  no  reason  why  this  characteristic  should  be 
quoted  as  an  objection  to  tlie  goat. 

Concerning  tuberculosis. — The  question  of  the  milk  of  goats 
being  the  carrier  of  the  germs  of  tuberculosis  will  be  discus-^ed 
under  another  head,  as  it  is  one  that  concerns  the  animal's  body 
as  well  as  the  milk. 

Cost  of  production. — All  estimates  of  the  cost  of  producing 
milk  are  confined  to  German  experiments.  Of  course,  they  can 
not  be  applied  literally  to  the  conditions  in  the  United  States, 
yet  they  indicate  what  may  be  expected.  Dettweilcr  states  that 
a  goat     which,    under     ordinary     dairv     conditions,     vields     500 


MILCH  GOATS. 


197 


liters  annually  does  so  at  a  cost  of  12  pfennigs^  per 
liter.  If  the  yield  is  600  liters  the  cost  is  reduced  to 
8.3  pfennigs;  a  yield  of  700  liters  costs  7.1  pfennigs,  and  800 
liters  costs  6.25  pfennigs  each.  He  continues:  "According  to 
Dr.  Lobe,  a  goat  weighing  30  kilograms-  needs  a  supply  of  hay 
weighing  1.05  kilograms,  and  gives  on  an  average  of  1.72  liters  of 
milk  at  12  pfennigs  per  liter;  thus  the  goat  converts  50  kilograms 
of  hay,  by  means  of  the  milk  given,  into  a  value  of  9.80  marks; 
an  evidence  of  the  fact  that  the  goat  is  a  good  utilizer  of  food.  In 
the  same  way  a  cow  weighing  300  kilograms,  with  a  daily  food 
supply  of  30.5  kilograms,  must  give  nearly  17  liters  if  she\vould 
utilize  tlie  food  as  well  as  the  goat.  Under  very  many  circum- 
stances the  keeping  of  two  or  three  goats  will  be  more  profitable 
than  that  of  one  cow,  for  with  the  feed  that  a  cow  requires  one 
can  keep  eight  goats  at  quite  an  additional  profit  and  at  compara- 
tively less  risk  of  loss.'' 

Description  of  a  Good  Milch  Goat. 

The  points  of  this  description  are  those  which  are  considered 
important  in  Europe.  There  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  the  best 
milch  goat  here  should  not  answer  in  all  respects  to  the"  best  type 
there.  The  goat  should  be  hornless,  short  haired  and  of  solid 
color.  Long  hair  is  an  objection  only  as  it  is  a  nuisance  at  milk- 
ing time  and  makes  the  work  of  keeping  the  animal  clean  very 
difficult.  The  animal  should  usually  present  a  lanky  appearance, 
with  broad  muzzle,  clean-cut  head,  graceful  neck,  deep  in  the 
stomach  rather  than  broad.  The  chest  should  be  broad  and  deep. 
The  udder  is  hard  rather  than  soft  and  fat.  The  size  of  the  udder 
will  depend  upon  the  number  of  years  the  animal  has  given 
milk.  In  some  of  the  old  does,  especially  of  the  short-legged 
Maltese,  the  teats  sometimes  touch  the  ground.  A  very  excellent 
description  and  one  fall  of  ^suggestions  is  that  of  Hilpert  and  is 
given  herewith  :  "In  a  good  milch  goat  the  following  points  are  to 
be  described :  A  long  body,  growing  larger  at  the  hinder  parts  and 
beneath,  neatly  rounded  form,  a  deep  and  broad  breast,  short  legs, 
liroad  buttocks,  wide  Init  filled  out  'hungry  hole'  (the  depression 
in  front  of  the  hip  bone),  a  neck  that  is  not  too  long  nor  too  thick, 
a  light,  broad  head,  wide  mouth  and  good  udder.  The  udder 
should  be  of  considerable  size.  Only  those  goats  can  give  plenty 
of  milk  which  have  a  bulky,  well-developed  milk  gland -^  that  is,  a 
large  udder.  But  it  is  not  always  the  case  that  a  capacious  udder 
signifies  a  high  milk  yield.    The  amount  of  glandular  tissue  in  the 

'  A  pfennig  is  one-fourth  of  a  cent. 

-  A   kilogram    equals,   approximately,    2.20  pounds. 


198  MILCH   GOATS. 

udder  can  he  aiignieiitcd  In-  the  surrounding  flesh  and  fat.  and 
then  the  udder  is  spoken  of  as  a  fleshy  or  fatty  udder.  A  hirge 
udder  is,  then,  a  favorable  sign  of  an  abundance  of  milk  when  it  is 
a  genuine  udder.  A  fatly  udder  feels  soft  and  full;  its  skin  is 
generally  somewhat  thicker,  sparsely  covered  with  long,  coarse 
hair;  does  not  wrinkle  after  milking  and  diminishes  only  slightly 
in  circumference.  A  genuine  milk  udder  feels  tight  and  as  having 
kernels  in  its  upper  portion ;  its  skin  is  thin  and  tender,  covered 
with  short,  fine  hair,  and  forms  very  perceptible  folds  and  wrinkles, 
which  fall  together  after  the  milking  is  done,  if  the  condition  of 
the  udder  is  not  too  tense.  j\Ioreover,  the  blood  vessels  course  along 
very  noticeably  on  account  of  the  thin  skin  when  the  udder  is 
filled — a  condition  not  present  in  the  case  of  a  fatty  udder.  A  good 
milch  goat  should  liave  a  fine,  thin  skin,  which  is  best  examined 
over  the  ribs,  and  it  should  be  covered  with  fine  (not  bristly), 
smooth,  glistening  hair.  That  the  absence  of  horns  possesses  an 
alleged  influence  in  making  the  milk  mild  in  taste  has  been  spoken 
of  before.  "When  all  these  characteristics  coincide  it  is  certain 
that  one  is  dealing  with  a  good  milch  goat." 

In  the  matter  of  selection  one  should  buy  only  well-bred  stock. 
Goats  designed  for  breeding  should  be  descended  only  from  such 
animals  as  gave  an  abundance  of  milk.  In  this  connection  it  is 
well  to  remember  that  the  milk  yield  is  a  quality  which  is  inherited 
not  only  through  the  mother  goat,  but  through  the  buck  also,  and 
handed  down  to  the  young.  If  both  the  males  and  females  be 
descended  from  milch-giving  animals,  then  it  is  of  the  utmost 
probal)ility  that  the  offspring  Avill  be  blest  with  an  abundance  of 
milk  later  on. 

An  American  Milch  Goat  Suggested. 

Having  in  view  the  great  difficulty  that  will  be  encountered  iu 
efforts  to  import  foreign  breeds  of  milch  goats,  it  occurs  to  the 
writer  that  the  people  of  the  United  States  who  are  interested 
in  the  question  may  find  it  necessary  to  develop  a  strain  of  milch 
goats  from  the  stock  already  available.  Everybody  calls  this  stock 
"common  goats,"  as,  indeed,  they  are.  Mrs.  Eoby  has  patriotically 
suggested  that  the  term  "common  goats"  be  discontinued  and 
"American  goats"  be  substituted.  But  a  change  in  name  will  not 
change  the  animal,  and  it  will  still  remain  a  common  animal,  not 
only  in  the  United  States,  l>ut  everywhere.  Let  us,  rather,  adopt 
a  further  suggestion  of  ^trs.  Roby  and  by  the  use  of  our  common 
goats  as  foundation  stock  develop  an  animal  that  shall  produce  a 
good  quality  of  milk;  and,  so  soon  as  some  breeding  characteristics 
are  fixed,  call  the  new  animal  the  "American  ffoat." 


MALTESE  GOAT.    Raised  in  Tunis. 


NUBIAN  GOAT.    Photo  by  \Vm.  O  de  Coligny 


200  MILCH  GOATS. 

Such  an  outcome  \?  not  an  impopsil)ility  liy  any  moan?.  En- 
glish breeders  soon  learned  that  the  purebred  milch  goats  from  the 
continent  and  the  Island  of  i\ralta  would  not  thrive  in  their  cli- 
mate; so  they  began  crossing  with  their  common  goats,  with  the 
result  that  they  now  have  a  very  good  m.ilch  animal  which  they 
name  the  English  milch  goat.  In  our  own  country  Daniel  F. 
Tompkins  of  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  has  met  with  very  good  success 
in  efforts  to  develop  such  an  animal  as  suggested  here.  ^frs.  Roby, 
who  has  already  been  mentioned,  is  making  efforts  without  regard 
to  cost  in  the  same  direction. 

Breeding  and  Kidding. 

]\rikh  goats  as  a  rule  are  very  prolific  animals.  They  seldom 
drop  fewer  than  two  kids,  and  some  breeds  drop  as  many  as  four 
at  a  time.  The  Nubian,  one  of  the  best  milch  goats  known,  has 
had  as  many  as  eleven  kids  in  a  year.  It  is  well  known  that  An- 
gora goats  will  breed  but  once  a  year,  but  other  goats  breed  very 
soon  after  kidding;  and,  as  the  period  of  gestation  is  only  from 
loo  to  157  days,  their  increase  may  be  quite  rapid. 

The  buck. — First,  the  buck  should  be  from  a  milk  strain  and 
himself  have  the  characteristics  of  a  milch  animal.  He  should 
have  a  pedigree  showing  ancestors  of  milk  propensities;  even  then, 
if  upon  trial  he  fails  to  transmit  the  milk  characteristics,  he  should 
l)e  dispensed  with.  He  should  be  killed  for  the  good  of  the  indus- 
try. 

Tlie  Question  of  Feeding* 

The  thought  will  no  doubt  come  to  many  people  at  once  that 
the  best  and  cheapest  manner  to  feed  milch  goats  is  to  turn  them 
upon  brushwood  and  weeds,  where  they  can  feed  as  x\ngoras  do. 
While  this  will  prove  to  be  a  feed  very  much  relished  by  the  goat 
and  at  the  same  time  prove  an  effective  means  of  destroying  the 
brush  and  weeds,  it  will  be  observed  that  the  milk  supply  will  dimin- 
ish in  quantity  and  the  palatability  will  be  greatly  affected.  Such  a 
location  will  not  answer  for  a  goat  dairy.  The  goat  is  a  single- 
purpose  animal ;  she  can  not  produce  good  milk  and  destroy  brush 
and  weeds  at  the  same  time.  She  must  be  regarded  as  a  milk- 
producing  machine  and  fed  such  things  and  in  such  manner  as  will 
enable  her  to  do  the  best  at  the  pail. 

In  a  general  way  it  may  be  stated  that  eight  goats  can  subsist 
and  yield  a  good  flow  of  milk  upon  the  amount  of  feed  that  is 
required  for  one  cow.  It  is  proved  by  experiments  in  Europe  that 
the  goat  makes  much  better  use  of  its  feed  in  producing  milk  than 


MILCH   GOATS.  201 

does  a  cow.     Considering  its  proportionate  weight,  the  goat  is  the 
greatest  milk  producer  of  all  domestic  animals. 

Some  writers  state  that  the  average  amount  of  hay  required 
annually  for  a  milch  goat  is  about  300  pounds ;  but  in  an  examina- 
tion of  experiments  where  large  milk  production  was  the  object 
in  view  it  is  shown  that  some  goats  will  consume  as  much  as  700 
pounds.  Let  us  be  generous  and  allow  our  goats  500  pounds  to 
eat;  if  we  are  not  careful  we  shall  waste  that  much  or  more  and 
charge  it  against  the  goat.  For  the  milch  goat  hay  is  indispensable, 
winter  and  summer.  Without  hay  goat  keeping  is  scarcely  possi- 
ble, because  it  can  not  be  displaced  by  any  other  food.  Of  course,  an 
abundance  of  dry  fodders  will  answer  the  same  purposes  as  the 
hay.  Kloepfer  says:  "From  my  experiments,  which  I  have  con- 
ducted in  the  past  two  years  upon  my  experinaental  animals,  one 
must  figure  on  at  least  3  cwt.  of  hay  yearly  for  each  mature  animal. 
If  one  can  obtain  more  of  course  it  is  so  much  the  better.  As  a 
means  of  saving  the  hay  it  is  suggested  that  it  be  cut  up  and  fed 
in  a  narrow  rack  and  mixed  with  straw.  By  this  means  the  animals 
will  be  prevented  from  tramping  the  feed  under  foot.  It  is  best 
in  the  morning  to  feed  half  of  the  day's  ration  of  hay,  mixed  with 
equal  amount  of  straw,  and  after  this  to  give  water  which  in 
severe  weather  has  been  allowed  to  stand  in  a  warm  room  or  in  the 
kitchen.  The  offal  from  the  kitchen  serves  as  the  usual  noon  meal, 
which  should  be  given  not  with,  but  without,  a  large  amount  of 
liquid." 

Good  hay,  especially  clover  hay,  exercises  a  stimulating  influ- 
ence upon  the  digestive  organs  and  serves  as  an  active  element  in 
the  production  of  milk.  Fresh  hay,  which  has  not  yet  undergone  the 
sweat,  is  difficult  of  digestion  and  easily  induces  bloating.  Old, 
dusty  hay  which  has  lain  more  than  a  year  is  tasteless  and  pro- 
vokes shortness  of  breath.  The  best  food  for  goats  is  found  in  the 
pasture  "where  nature  has  spread  the  table";  but  before  they  go 
out  and  after  they  return  from  the  pasture  hay  should  be  given 
them. 

Bran  is  an  excellent  feed;  its  use  will  depend  upon  its  cost. 
The  daily  ration  may  vary  between  one-half  and  three-quarters  of 
a  pound.  Dampen  the  bran  with  a  little  salt  water.  The  morn- 
ing and  evening  portions  may  contain  the  solid  materials  from  the 
kitchen  slops,  such  as  potatoes,  carrots,  turnips  and  bread  crusts. 
Mali  is  recommended  where  it  can  l)e  had  regularly  and  at  rea- 
sonable cost.  It  is  an  excellent  milk-producing  feed.  It  should 
not  be  fed  when  sour.  Dry  malt  (which  has  been  preserved  for  a 
vear)  is  also  crood  for  milk. 


202  MILCH   GOATS. 

Oats  and  liarley  are  good.  Green  oat?  are  especially  good  for 
kids  at  weaning  time. 

Linseed  cake  meal  may  l)e  fed  in  amount  from  50  to  75  grams 
daily  as  an  auxiliary  feed.  Its  influence  upon  digestion  and  nour- 
ishment is  excellent.  Kloepfer  says:  "It  is  absolutely  invaluable 
before  delivery.  When,  on  account  of  its  digestibility  and  ready 
assimilation,  it  is  a  prophylactic  against  milk  fever."  A  breeder 
of  many  years'  experience  declares  that  out  of  100  cases  of  milk 
fever,  50  of  which  used  to  be  fatal,  now  his  herd  is  almost  free 
from  it  because  of  feeding  with  linseed  cake.  This  precautionary 
method  is  so  simple  and  reasonable  in  price  that  all  ought  to  be 
able  to  employ  it.  If,  by  reason  of  drouth,  soiling  is  necessary, 
leaves,  vegetable  refuse,  peelings  of  the  apple  or  potato,  bread 
crusts  or  stale  bread,  if  they  are  sweet  and  clean,  will  be  all  the 
feed  that  is  needed.  All  goats,  however,  will  not  eat  the  same 
food,  and  the  feeder  will  have  to  study  the  appetites  of  the  indi- 
vidual animal.  Frequent  feeding  and  a  variety  of  food  in  winter 
will  be  found  beneficial. 

Fencing  and  Housing. 

The  f(!nces  and  houses  required  for  milch  goats  are  very  much 
the  same  as  those  required  for  dairy  cattle.  While  the  goat  does 
not  jump,  except  when  trained  to  do  so,  it  will  climb  and  creep 
just  where  one  would  not  expect  it.  Goats  should  not  be  tempted 
with  a  poor  fence  or  one  that  offers  any  opportunity  for  climi)ing. 
If  such  opportunities  are  offered,  the  garden,  shrubl^ery,  and  fruit 
trees  are  sure  to  suffer  in  consec[uencc. 

The  plan  of  a  very  convenient  house  is  shown  in  Hook's 
excellent  little  English  work,  ''Mik-h  Goats  and  Their  Manage- 
ment." The  stalls  arc  very  convenient;  the  rack  above  for  the 
hay  is  easily  accessible  to  the  animal,  and  yet  permits  of  no  waste ; 
the  slatted  floor  favors  cleanliness ;  if  for  any  reason  the  goat 
should  not  be  tied — at  the  time  of  kidding,  for  instance — the  box 
stalls  are  available;  a  loft  immediately  over  the  stalls  holds  the 
forage,  which  may  be  fed  directly  to  the  rack  below;  a  hopper  is 
provided  for  grain  or  soft  feed.  Any  goat  house  should  be  ventilat- 
ed, for  goats  must  ha\c  an  abundance  of  fresh  air. 

A  goat  house  must  l)e  comfortable  in  winter,  as  all  short-haired 
breeds  suffer  much  from  the  cold.  It  must  not  leak  rain  at  any 
time. 

There  should  be  a  yard  in  connection  with  the  goat  house  where 
aninuils  may  exercise  on  warm  days  in  winter  season. 


204  AULCH  GOATS 

Tbe  Operation  ol  ITIflklu^. 

The  act  of  milking  by  tlic  milk  vonder  in  European  countries 
and  also  in  our  insular  possessions  is  usually  done  on  the  street  at 
all  hours  of  the  morning  or  evening.  The  vendor  drives  his  goats 
from  door  to  door,  and  at  each  one  draws  the  amount  of  milk  de- 
sired. The  better  way,  as  our  own  people  will  at  once  recognize, 
is  to  have  a  place  near  the  goat  house  for  milking,  just  as  we  have 
an  established  })lace  for  milking  the  cow.  Under  no  circumstances 
should  milking  ])e  done  in  the  stalls  or  in  that  part  of  the  house 
where  the  stalls  are  located.  The  act  of  milking  is  done  from  the 
rear,  as  is  shown  in  the  illustration  of  the  Maltese  goat. 

All  authorities  agree  that  goats  should  be  milked  three  times 
a  day.  This  must  be  done  regularly  as  to  days  and  hours,  if  the 
goat  is  to  be  kept  in  milk — "in  profit,'"  as  they  say  in  England. 
This  is  an  important  point ;  a  disregard  of  it  is  apt  to  render 
futile  all  other  efforts  in  the  way  of  breeding,  feeding,  and  care. 

Kindness  and  gentleness  is  now  a  recognized  necessity  in  the 
best  cattle  dairies.  These  characteristics  are  even  more  necessary 
with  goats.  On  this  point  Von  L.  Albrect  is  quoted :  "Milch 
goats  will  be  particularly  gentle  and  of  kind  disposition  when 
handled  and  cared  for,  so  far  as  possible,  by  the  same  person.  To 
this  end  the  milking  must  be  done  with  regard  to  gentleness  and 
regularity,  and  with  the  closed  hand  .?t)  far  as  possible.  The  strokes 
and  tugs  must  be  performed  with  care.  The  milking  is  done  best 
by  a  stroke  directed  from  above  downward."' 

Some  excellent  advice  is  given  bv  Renesse  as  follows:  "Before 
beginning  to  milk  the  two  teats  are  to  be  washed  off  with  luke- 
warm watei-  and  then  dried  off  with  a  soft  cloth,  also  the  udder  is 
to  be  stripped  a  few  times  from  above  downward.  It  is  advisable 
that  the  animal  be  milked  hy  one  and  the  same  individual  with 
clean  hands  at  regular  and  definite  times.  The  milk  pail  is  to  be 
entirely  sweet  and  clean.  Milking  must  not  be  done  in  the  stall. 
Tuberculous  persons  must  not  he  allowed  either  to  expectorate  in 
the  stable  or,  much  less,  to  milk.  That  the  milk  may  not  depre- 
ciate in  taste  it  should  be  put  away  in  a  suitable  place.  A  state- 
ment of  the  amount  of  milk  given  daily  should  be  kept  in  a  book 
by  dates,  in  liters,  in  order  to  have  an  accurate  account  as  to  the 
profit." 

ITIilcli  Goat  Dairies. 

Since  there  is  almost  universal  indorsement  of  goat's  milk  for 
infants  and  invalids,  and  since  the  cost  of  keeping  is  so  much  less 
than  the  keeping  of  cows,  it  would  seem  that  a  goat  dairy  would 
prove  a  success,  especially  if  it  is  in  proximity  to  the  large  cities. 


MILCH   GOATS.  205 

Instances  are  known  where  the  milk  has  been  sold  in  limited 
quantities  at  prices  ranging  from  I21/2  cents  to  25  cents  a  pint.  It 
may  not  be  that  such  prices  would  be  maintained,  but  there  can  not 
be  a  doubt  that  a  much  better  price  could  be  obtained  than  can  be 
had  for  cow's  milk. 

After  a  milch  goat  industry  shall  have  been  established  in  this 
country  other  matters  in  connection  with  it  \\ill  arise  for  attention. 
The  matter  of  condensed  milk  will  be  one  of  the  first.  Thousands 
of  infants  are  now  compelled  to  live  during  their  first  few  months 
on  condensed  milk  of  cow^s,  and  it  is  not  the  best  food  for  some 
stomachs. 

Tlie  Clieese. 

The  cheese  that  is  made  from  goat's  milk  is  considered  very 
choice  and  alwaAs  brings  good  prices.  Some  of  the  varieties  quite 
well  known  in  tJie  United  States  are  the  Roquefort,  Ricotto, 
Schweitzer  and  Altenburger.  It  is  stated  that  on  an  estate  near 
Lyons,  France,  13,000  goats  are  kept  in  flocks  of  40  to  60  for  the 
purpose  of  cheese  manufacture. 

The  goat  cheese  made  in  the  vicinity  of  Mount  d"Or  enjoys  a 
worldwide  demand,  and  there  are  employed  at  this  place  about 
15,000  goats.  "We  are  informed  that  the  annual  production  of 
cheese  there  is  valued  at  1,500,000  francs  ($289,500).  The 
French  goat  cheeses  worthy  of  special  mention  are  Fromage  de  St. 
:\Iarcellin,  St.  Claude,  Cheveretin,  Gratairon.  The  first  one  is  a 
combination  of  the  milk  of  the  goat  and  the  sheep. 

The  strong  taste  and  odor  of  goat  cheese  are  qualities  very 
pleasing  to  many.  In  Norway  a  goat  cheese  called  Hoitcost  is 
quite  a  favorite.  On  this  account  the  French  as  Avell  as  the  Ger- 
man, especially  the  Dutch  and  Swiss,  dairymen  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  making  cheese  of  an  especially  pronounced  odor  and 
flavor,  and,  in  pursuit  of  this  habit,  some  of  them  have  used  the 
milk  of  the  goat  in  part  with  that  of  the  sheep  and  the  cow  in 
the  making  of  cheese.  But  while  in  some  instances  the  milk  of 
the  sheep  is  used  wholly  as  the  basis  of  a  special  kind  of  cheese, 
that  of  the  goat  is  only  used  when  mixed  with  the  ewe's  or  cow's 
milk,  simply  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  special  flavor  of  it. 
And  as  the  special  kinds  of  cheese  thus  made  find  a  market  in 
our  large  cities  to  considerable  extent,  it  is  quite  probable  that 
the  making  of  this  kind  of  cheese  may  become  an  established  and 
quite  profitable  industry.  And,  in  fact,  in  view  of  the  great 
enterprise  and  engenuity  of  the  American  citizen  in  all  the  busi- 
ness of  life,  it  may  easily  become  so  to  an  enlarged  extent  when 
goat's  milk  cheese  shall  be  offered  in  our  markets. 


20(i  MILCH  GOATS. 

With  reference  to  the  manufacture  of  goat's  cheese,  Eencsse 
gives  the  following:  "The  milk  is  treated  in  a  kettle,  warmed  to 
^5"  to  2(]°  M.,  and,  while  being  stirred  evenly,  is  brought  to  coagu- 
lation by  the  addition  of  rennet.  By  this  means  the  socalled  curd 
is  separated  out  c-f  the  wliey.  The  curd  is  then  manipulated  with 
a  strainer  and  the  whey  allowed  to  run  off.  When  the  curd  after 
several  hours  has  become  dry,  salt  and  caraway  seed  are  intimately 
mixed  with  it  and  it  is  made  into  small  cheeses.  These  little 
cheeses  arc  to  be  placed  on  racks  in  the  cellar  to  dry  and  are 
turned  daily.  After  about  fourteen  days  they  are  ripe  and  ready 
for  use.  The  cheese  takes  on  an  especially  fine  taste  and  sweet 
odor  if,  after  a  long  period  of  ripening,  it  be  laid  in  the  dried 
leaves  of  the  Kweet-scented  woodroof.  As  a  rule,  1  kilogram 
of  cheese  can  be  obtained  from  10  liters  of  milk."' 

Tlie  Bntter. 

There  is  nothing  about  goat's  milk  to  recommend  it  for  butter 
making,  although  in  those  countries  where  milch  goats  are  com- 
mon it  is  made  frequently,  ])ut  not  extensively. 

There  are  several  reasons  why  it  is  not  satisfactory,  and  these 
will  be  mentioned  here,  but  not  discussed  to  any  extent.  Goat's 
milk  is  very  slow  to  cream,  a  condition  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
fat  globules  are  very  small  and  consequently  held  much  longer  in 
emulsion.  Owing  to  this  condition  tlie  ordinary  method  of  sep- 
arating the  cream  by  skimming  after  the  milk  has  been  set  is  not 
successful,  as  only  a  portion  of  the  cream  will  have  separated  in 
the  time  allowed.  According  to  Zurn,  50  kilograms  of  milk,  when 
skimmed  in  tlie  ordinary  way,  yield  only  1.5  to  2  kilograms  of 
butter. 

Good  goat's  Imtter  is  usually  white,  rarely  of  a  yellowish  tinge, 
tastes  sweet,  and  is  very  fat ;  because  of  the  last  characteristic  it  is 
softer  than  cow's  butter.  If  it  is  used  in  its  fresh  state  the  taste 
is  pleasant,  particularly  if  it  is  freed  by  much  washing  of  the 
peculiar  taste  which  ordinarily  clings  to  it,  but  which  in  a  degree 
is  pleasant  to  some.  This  taste  returns  again,  however,  if  the  but- 
ter is  set  aside  for  several  days.  Goat's  Initter  becomes  rancid 
very  soon  and  very  easily.  It  can  be  used  as  cooking  butter  only  in 
a  fresh  state. 

The  Milch-Zcitung  (1803,  p.  756)  published  an  analysis  of 
goat's  butter,  which  is  reproduced  here: 

,„  ^  Percent. 

Water 8.3 

Fat 86.5 

Salts  and  ash 3.7 

Proteids 0.9 

Carbohydrates 0.7 

100 


AAXl^X  HT-(  ]<      Fniiii  Wil^.lort 


SAANEN  DOE.    From  Wilsdorf. 


208  MILCH  GOATS. 

The  low  content  of  water  is  especially  noticeable,  being  but  8.2 
per  cent.  Cow's  butter  of  good  quality  carries  as  much  as  12 
per  cent. 

Tbe  Wliey. 

Goat's  whey  is  highly  recommended  by  foreign  authorities  on 
account  of  its  medicinal  and  nourisliing  properties.  This  para- 
graph will  deal  wholly  with  their  opinions.  Zurn  says:  ''Goat 
whey  is  used  for  medicinal  purposes  and  is  recommended  especially 
for  diseases  of  the  lungs  for  those  suffering  from  bronchial  catarrh, 
for  weak  anemic  persons  suffering  from  innutrition,  and  also  for 
weak  consumptives.  The  whey  is  easily,  quickly,  and  completely 
separated  from  the  milk."  The  same  author  publishes  the  follow- 
ing approximate  analysis  of  the  whey: 

Per  cent. 

Fat 0.02 

Sugar 4.969 

Salts 0.665 

Albumin 0..581 

Water  93.7&5 

100 

The  composition  of  the  ash  is  as  follows: 

Per  cent. 

Potassium 44.58 

Sodium T.  18 

Calcium .' 5.99 

Magnesium 2.48 

Phosphoric  acid 13.78 

Sulphuric  acid 2.42 

Chlorine 30.41 

The  whey  has  a  laxative  effect  on  most  people,  a  fact  easy  of 
explanation  when  the  composition  of  the  ash  is  considered.  Zurn 
says :  "The  abundant  amount  of  acid  phosphate  of  calcium,  which 
is  presented  in  easily  assimilable  form  in  goat  whey,  has  the  power 
to  influence  favorably  the  upbuilding  of  the  bony  structures;  the 
amount  of  potassium  present,  the  activity  of  the  blood  and  circu- 
lation, especially  the  heart.  By  means  of  its  sugar  the  whey 
supplies  carbohydrates  in  composition  easily  to  be  assimilated  and 
which  serves  as  a  means  of  strengthening  the  respiratory  activity. 
The  amount  of  water  contained  in  whey  has  the  power  to  assist 
in  carrying  off'  the  non-assimilable  materials  which  are  present, 
especially  in  the  blood  of  those  who  are  ill."" 

The  consideration  of  whey  will  close  wilh  the  following  sum- 
mary of  its  benefits,  as  given  by  Dr.  H.  May,  physician  and  director 
of  the  royal  sanitarium  at  Kreuth,  Germany:  "It  is  my  opinion 
that  the  whey  is  of  advantage  in  consumption  because  the  sugar 
which  it  contains  checks  the  albuminous  and  tissue  waste  and  its 
salts  compensate  for  the  loss  of  inorganic  matter  as  the  result  of 
increased  bronchial  and  mucous  secretion.    The  tests  of  the  physio- 


MILCH  GOATS.  209 

logical  and  therapeutic  value  of  the  whey  brings  us  to  the  con- 
clusion that  it  is  a  valuable  nourishment  and  healing  agent  which 
can  take  the  place  of  other  means  of  cure  and  w^e  have  no  ground  to 
fear  that  all  the  wdiey-cure  institutes  will  be  transformed  into 
milk-cure  institutes.  While  it  is  not  possible  to  draw  a  hard 
and  fast  line  of  difference  to  say  how  many  of  the  results  w^e  see 
in  the  whey-cure  institutes  are  to  be  credited  to  the  account  of  the 
whey  and  how  many  to  other  agents,  especially  climatic  conditions, 
I  learn  from  the  history  of  my  cases  that  I  can  attribute  them  in 
very  great  part  to  the  healthy  therapeutic  action  of  the  whey. 

"When  we  gather  together  the  conclusions  of  what  has  been 
said  they  are  these:  (1)  The  salts  of  the  milk  and  milk  sugar  are 
largely  responsible  for  the  physiological  and  therapeutic  value  of 
the  w^hey. 

"(2)  The  sugar  limits  by  its  disintegration  the  further  breaking 
up  of  the  glycogen  fats  and  albumin  in  the  body  and  serves  in 
this  way  for  the  maintenance  of  the  body  aright  and  puts  the  body 
in  shape  to  take  on  more  fat. 

"(3)  The  principal  value  of  the  sugar  for  our  bodies  is  seen 
best  in  emaciated  people  when  the  possibility  of  keeping  up  nour- 
ishment is  lessened  and  the  life  of  the  cells  is  hindered.  Here  the 
sugar  acts  similar  to  alcohol  as  a  maintainer  of  strength. 

"(4)  Though  it  is  not  absolutely  essential  to  have  a  sur^Dlus 
of  salts  in  case  of  a  sound,  healthy  body,  it  is  very  often  that  the 
presence  of  these  salts  acts  to  dispel  pathological  conditions  in  a 
remarkable  degree  when  the  body  is  sick. 

"(5)  This  is  especially  the  case  in  fever,  in  suppuration,  ex- 
udates, continuing  catarrhal  secretions,  profuse  expectorations,  etc. 

"(6)  Besides  this  compensating  influence,  the  salts  of  whey 
exercise  in  the  body  a  diuretic  action  and  serve  as  a  mild  laxa- 
tive. 

"(7)  A  specific  action  of  whey  in  the  diseases  of  the  respiratory 
organs  is  not  worth  while  to  mention  when  we  know  its  physio- 
logical and  therapeutic  action. 

"(8)  WTiey  contains  by  careful  preparations  no  lactic  acids; 
its  milk  sugar  is  not  transformed  into  lactic  acid  in  the  intes- 
tines. 

"(9)  From  the  irritation  caused  in  these  organs  by  the  action 
of  lactic  acid  we  can  see  hoAV  valuable  the  elements  of  whey  (salts 
of  sugar)  are,  inasmuch  as  they  are  absorbed  unchanged. 

"(10)  Whey  is  a  valuable  means  of  nourishment  and  healing, 
which  can  be  substituted  and  placed  by  the  side  of  all  the  other 
means  ot  cure. 


210  MILCH   GOATS. 

"(11)  For  tlio  transformation  of  all  the  whey  institutes  into 
milk  institutes  we  are  not  ready  for  the  reasons  cited/' 

fmmimity  from  Tuberculosis. 

Whether  or  not  goats  are  immune  from  tuberculosis  (or  con- 
sumption, or  phthisis)  is  a  question  of  the  greatest  importance, 
since  those  who  advocate  the  keeping  of  goats  for  milk  lay  much 
stress  upon  the  healtliful  qualities  of  the  milk,  especially  in  its 
relation  to  tuberculosis.  If  it  were  true,  as  is  often  stated,  that 
goats  are  never  affected  with  tuberculosis,  they  would  no  doubt  be 
regarded  as  the  most  valuable  of  the  animal  kingdom  to  mankind. 
This  Avould  be  the  case  because  milk  is  the  first  food  of  man,  and 
he  is  dependent,  to  a  large  degree,  upon  it  throughout  life;  and 
we  are  assured  by  the  medical  fraternity  that  the  dread  disease  of 
tuberculosis  is  transmitted  more  often  and  more  readily  by  cow's 
milk  than  by  any  other  cause.  Hence,  if  there  were  a  domestic 
animal  which  would  prove  to  be  absolutely  immune  from  this  dis- 
ease it  would  be  one  of  the  greatest  boons  to  humanity.  However, 
the  goat  is  not  entirely  immune,  as  we  shall  see  from  the  testimony 
of  several  who  are  thoroughly  informed  on  this  matter;  but  it 
may  be  safely  said  that  it  is  practically  immune  from  tuberculosis 
and  that  a  very  few  goats  only  are  affected. 

The  subject  of  milch  goats  is  a  new  one  to  the  United  States  and 
our  people,  who  always  desire  the  opinions  of  men  of  experience, 
demand  the  fullest  information  before  formulating  their  judgment. 
For  this  reason  the  opinions  of  scientific  men  and  others  in 
Europe  are  quoted  here  in  reference  to  the  goat  and  its  relation  to 
tuberculosis.  Hook  says:  "Undoubtedly  the  most  important  of 
all  the  qualities  of  goat's  milk,  especially  in  its  relation  to  its 
adaptability  to  the  feeding  of  infants,  is  its  immunity  from  the 
danger  of  carrying  the  germs  of  tubercular  disease." 

A  writer  Avho  signed  himself  "Sirgar"  to  a  recent  article  in 
the  Rural  World,  a  person  who  writes  with  such  force  as  to  exhibit 
an  acquaintance  with  goats,  says:  "I  have  seen  this  statement 
questioned — I  do  not  know  by  what  authority — but  some  years  ago 
the  British  Medical  Journal  boldly  declared  that  goat's  milk  is 
not  liable  to  tuberculous  infection  ;  and  in  support  of  the  state- 
ment quoted  the  greatest  Hying  authority  on  bacteriology,  the 
well-known  Professor  Nocard,  whose  researches  have  proved  so 
valuable  in  many  directions  to  the  stock  keeper.  Professor  Nocard 
states  that  'out  of  over  130,000  goats  and  kids  that  have  been 
brought  to  Paris  for  slaughter  at  the  shambles  of  La  Villette  every 
year,  the  meat  inspectors  have  failed  to  discover  a  single  case  of 
phthisis.'     This  testimony  should  be  sufficient  to  decide  the  ques- 


MILCH  GOATS.  2U 

tion  and  its  value  would  be  little  disturbed  by  the  discovery,  if  it 
were  made,  that  the  goat  is  not  immune.  For  all  practical  purposes 
the  animal,  when  kept  under  healthy  conditions,  is  free  from  the 
dreadful  disease  from  which  very  few  [cattle]  herds  in  the  coun- 
try can  claim  to  be  exempt." 

A  German  agricultural  paper  indorses  goat's  milk  because  of 
its  "anti-tubercular  properties,  insuring  a  pure  milk  yield";  and 
the  paper  continues:  "Since  Lobe,  Rhode,  and  others  ascribed  to 
goats  an  almost  total  immunity  from  tuberculosis,  Koch  makes 
the  statement,  in  liis  first  study  concerning  tuberculosis  due  to 
infection  of  cow's  milk,  that  recently  there  are  well-authenticated 
cases  recognized  in  the  literature  due  to  inoculation  by  cow  tuber- 
cles or  in  consequence  of  rearing  goats  on  tuberculous  cow's 
milk." 

Hilpcrt  says  that  since  the  goat  is  much  more  healthy  than  the 
cow  and  sheep,  tuberculosis  (which  can  be  transmitted  from  them 
to  man)  attacks  it  very  rarel}',  and  so  its  milk  is  very  much  better 
and  is  especially  adapted  to  children.  Dr.  A.  von  Renesse  says, 
with  reference  to  the  milk  of  the  goat,  there  need  be  no  "fear  as 
to  the  transmission  of  tuberculosis."  Dr.  Schwartz,  medical  coun- 
sellor from  Cologne,  in  an  address  at  Frankfurt  (1896)  before  the 
Association  of  German  Naturalists  and  Physicians,  directed  the 
attention  of  the  convention  toward  goat  milk  as  a  food  for  children 
because  goats  rarely  have  a  tendency  to  tuberculosis,  and  even 
when  they  have  it  they  become  infected  by  coming  in  contact  with 
tuberculous  cattle. 

A  few  references  follow  to  show  to  what  extent  one  may  expect 
to  find  tuberculosis  in  the  goat.  The  first  is  from  Herr  Hoffman, 
professor  of  animal  breeding  at  the  Royal  Veterinary  High  School, 
Stuttgart,  Germany  (1898),  who  says:  "While  the  statement  is 
not  entirely  true  that  goats  are  absolutely  immune  from  tuber- 
culosis, yet,  of  1,500  goats  publicly  slaughtered  in  one  year  only 
0.6  per  cent  were  affected.  This  bears  no  comparison  to  the 
prevalence  of  tuberculosis  among  cattle.  For  example,  in  the 
slaughter  house  at  Kiel,  Germany,  in  1896,  41.03  per  cent  of  all 
slaughtered  cattle  and  45.82  per  cent  of  all  cows  were  found  to  be 
tuberculous." 

This  from  Dettweiler:  "In  the  kingdom  of  Saxony,  according 
to  a  report  concerning  veterinary  affairs  for  the  year  1894,  it  is 
stated  that  out  of  1,562  goats  slaughtered  only  10  (0.64  per  cent) 
were  found  to  be  tuberculous,  of  which  2  were  destroyed,  1  was 
kept  under  observation  and  7  were  found  salable.  In  Prussia 
in  1899,  in  381  slaughter  houses  47,705  goats  were  killed.  Of  this 
number  only  148  head  (0.41  per  cent)  were  infected,  either  gen- 


212  MILCH  GOATS. 

erally  or  locally.  This  result  must  ho  the  more  astonishing  lie- 
cause  the  goats,  with  only  a  few  exceptions,  were  kept  under  con- 
ditions eminently  favorable  to  the  spread  of  tuberculosis,  Peter- 
sen, quoting  these  same  figures,  says  that  the  goats  ran  freely  in  the 
cattle  sheds,  ate  out  of  the  racks  with  tuberculous  cows,  and,  owing 
to  their  well-known  proclivities  for  mischief,  took  hay  out  of  the 
mouths  of  the  cattle,  whereby  they  exposed  themselves  to  the 
greatest  possible  infection.  Hoffman  continued  as  follows: 
*  *  *  "Of  4,146  goats  slaughtered  [in  Saxony]  in  1899,  only 
25  were  found  tuberculous.  Of  these  3  were  destroyed  and  22 
passed  inspection — that  is,  were  salable." 

The  opinion  now  quoted  from  the  Deutsch  Landwirthschaftliche 
Presse  (vol.  xx,  p.  833)  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  question: 
"Assistant  Eichhorn  informs  us  as  follows  in  'Report  of  Veter- 
inary Science  in  Imperial  Saxony/  concerning  the  appearance  of 
tuberculosis  in  goats:  'There  was  a  goat  (in  a  large  herd  of  28 
head)  which  had  been  brought  for  treatment  and  which,  after  its 
death,  which  soon  followed,  was  found  to  be  tuberculous  to  a  high 
degree.  This  made  it  imperative  to  inoculate  the  entire  remaining 
27  head  with  tuberculin.  In  18  of  these,  in  consequence  of  the 
inoculation,  a  rise  in  temperature  occurred  of  1°  to  2.5°  C,  and 
only  in  9  did  the  increased  temperature  amount  to  less  than  1°  C. 
(0.6°  to  0.9°  C).  Because  of  this  result  GH  per  cent  of  all  the 
goats  had  to  be  retained  on  suspicion  of  being  tuberculous,  and 
only  32  per  cent  were  to  he  looked  upon  as  probably  free  of  tuber- 
culosis. The  owner  could  only  make  up  his  mind  to  have  3 
slaughtered,  of  which  2  were  suspected  of  being  tuberculous  and  1 
was  proIjal)ly  free  of  the  disease;  the  result  justifying  the  con- 
clusion that  the  diagnosis  was  correct.  This  shows  how  necessary 
a  greater  degree  of  care  is  in  the  use  of  goat's  milk  as  food  in  the 
milk  cure.'  " 

To  discuss  the  tuberculosis  question  is  a  delicate  matter  and 
one  which  only  the  medical  man  and  the  scientist  would  dare  to 
venture  upon.  The  writer  must  be  content  with  a  presentation  of 
the  views  of  others  \\'ho  have  made  the  question  a  study.  There 
are,  however,  some  conclusions  which  may  be  drawn  from  the 
quotations  given  above — namely,  (1)  goats  will  contract  tubercu- 
losis; (2)  they  do  so  with  some  difficulty,  thus  showing  that  thev 
are  what  may  be  termed  highly  resistant  to  Iho  disease;  (3)  they 
are  not  likely  to  contract  the  disease  if  in  good  health  and  ordinary 
methods  are  employed  to  prevent  exposure. 


MILCH  GOATS.  213 

Diseases  of  Milcli  Goats. 

Milch  goats  are  subject  to  the  same  diseases  as  the  Angora  breed. 
The  reader  is  therefore  referred  to  the  chapter  on  the  diseases  of  the 
Angora  goat  for  information  on  this  subject. 

Some  of  tlie  Breeds. 

There  are  a  great  many  different  breeds  of  milch  goats.  The 
number  is  augmented  by  many  cross  breeds.  It  would  subserve 
no  useful  purjDose  to  give  an  account  of  all  these  here,  or  of  even  a 
considerable  number  of  them.  We  shall  be  content  with  some 
general  remarks  about  a  few  breeds  that  have  received  in  their 
native  home  land  high  commendation  as  milch  animals. 

The  Malta  goat. — It  is  probable  that  in  no  country  has  the  rais- 
ing of  fine  milch  goats  been  brought  to  such  a  degree  of  perfection 
as  in  the  Island  of  Malta.  The  ])opulation  of  this  island  is  about 
200,000  and  the  people  there  rely  almost  wholly  upon  the  goat. 
The  number  of  goats  there  is  very  large,  but  no  one  seems  to  know 
just  how  many.  There  are  various  estimates  ranging  all  the  way 
from  1 2,000  to  30,000.  They  wander  about  in  small  flocks.  David 
(t.  Fairchild,  to  whose  courtesy  the  author  is  indebted  for  the 
Malta  pictures,  notes  that  they  feed  largely  on  scraps  of  all  kinds, 
siich  as  they  can  pick  up  on  the  streets.  It  is  not  strange  that 
this  method  of  subsistence  gives  to  the  milk  a  strong,  unpleasant 
flavor,  and  on  this  account  the  English  contingent  prefer  con- 
densed milk  from  England  and  the  United  States.  There  are  no 
regular  grazing  fields  for  goats,  such  as  are  known  in  the  United 
States,  but  every  morning  the  flocks  are  driven  out  along  the  roads 
and  uninclosed  plots  along  the  sides  of  the  hills,  where  the  goats 
pick  up  whatever  they  can  find  in  the  way  of  weeds,  but  there  is 
seldom  any  sort  of  grass.  Sometimes  they  get  the  leaves  from  the 
maize  and  the  prickly  pear.  At  night,  when  they  are  driven  back 
to  shelter,  their  day's  feeding  is  supplemented  by  the  carob  bean. 
The  proper  winter  food  for  these  goats  is  the  chick  pea,  broad  bean, 
and  sulla,  all  of  which  are  grown  all  over  the  island.  How  these 
animals  can  give  so  much  milk  upon  such  feed  as  they  get  is  a 
matter  of  frequent  remark  by  foreigners  who  visit  Malta. 

The  amount  of  milk  produced  varies,  of  course,  with  the  ani- 
mal and  with  the  period  of  lactation.  Hon.  John  H.  Grout,  U.  S, 
Consul  at  Malta,  says  an  average  goat  produces  4:\  pints  of  milk 
per  day,  and  sometimes  as  much  as  5  pints.  Fairchild's  informa- 
tion is  that  the  average  yield  is  between  3  and  4  quarts  a  day. 
Often  the  owner  has  an  income  of  16  cents  a  day  from  a  single 
goat. 

The  Maltese  goats  are  about  2  feet  (5  inches  in  height,  while 


214  MILCH  GOATS. 

they  will  often  weiglit  100  pounds.  They  are  usually  liornless, 
and  many  that  grow  horns  are  dehorned.  The  predominant  color 
is  white,  although  there  are  many  of  other  colors — red,  brown,  and 
black.  The  ears  are  moderately  long,  and  horizontal.  The  ud- 
ders are  very  large,  oftentimes  nearly  touching  the  ground  when 
the  animal  stands.  It  is  said  that  the  milk  characteristic  of  the 
breed  has  been  so  perfectly  developed  that  nearly  every  doe  kid 
becomes  a  good  milker.  There  are  two  varieties  of  Maltese  goats — 
the  long  haired  and  the  short  haired.  The  hair  of  the  former  is 
often  4  to  5  inches  long. 

The  prices  of  good  Maltese  milkers  range  between  $10  and 
$25. 

They  have  been  imported  into  England  out  have  not  thrived 
there.  In  ]\[alta  it  is  asserted  that  they  never  do  well  when  ex- 
ported. Tliere  is  no  record  of  any  importations  into  the  United 
States. 

The  Toggenhurger  goat. — This  breed  is  from  the  Toggenburg 
valley  of  Switzerland,  a  district  forming  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  Canton  St,  Gallen,  in  the  northeast  section  of  the  republic. 
It  is  of  the  hornless  type,  though  occasionally  one  is  found  with 
horns;  the  hair  is  medium  long,  and  usually  solid  fawn  color, 
but  sometimes  dark-brown  mottled.  The  average  Aveight  of  this 
animal  is  about  121  pounds.  The  Toggenhurger  has  a  somewhat 
slender  body,  and,  except  as  to  its  larger  size,  very  much  resembles 
the  Appenzeller,  which  comes  from  the  same  section  of  country 
and  is  sometimes  considered  by  some  not  well  informed  to  be  of 
the  same  breed.  Hook  says:  "The  general  appearance  of  the 
Toggenhurger  is  attractive ;  the  color  is  a  peculiar  shade  of  brown, 
or  mouse,  color,  and  with  white  marking  distributed  with  perfect 
regularity.  The  legs  below  the  knees  and  hocks  should  be  white, 
and  a  white  streak  runs  down  either  side  of  the  face  and  round 
the  ears.  The  head  is  without  horns ;  the  ears  are  pricked  and  of 
moderate  size,  as  is  the  case  with  all  the  Swiss  varieties,  and  the 
face  bears  a  remarkably  intelligent,  gentle  expression.'' 

Professor  Anderegg,  who  was  secretary  of  the  Swiss  Agricul- 
tural Society,  in  a  monograph  upon  Swiss  goats,  speaks  of  the 
Toggenhurger  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  Swiss  goats.  He 
also  says  that  she  is  easily  acclimatized,  and  will  thrive  as  well  in 
the  stable  as  on  the  hills.  Hook  also  says  of  this  breed  in  Eng- 
land: -'The  Toggenhurger  goat  is,  in  my  opinion,  l)y  far  the 
most  valuable  and  the  best  suited  to  our  climate  of  all  the  pure 
breeds  that  have  been  introduced  into  this  country,  and.  having 
now  become  fairly  common  and  well  established  with  us,  is  the 
breed  I  should  unhesitatingly  commend  to  the  attention  of  goat 


SWISS  MILCH  GOAT.     (Toggfenberf  Breed.) 
Photo  by  Will  C.  Clos. 


216  MILCH  GOATS. 

keepers."  This  animal  is  always  somewhat  lean  and  bony  looking 
when  giving  milk,  as  it  seems  to  throw  all  the  strength  of  its 
constitution  into  the  production  of  milk. 

Anderegg  says  the  daily  milk  product  of  this  breed  is  about 
4}  liters.     This  must  be  regarded  as  a  very  heavy  yield. 

The  president  of  the  British  Goat  Society  is  quoted  as  authority 
for  the  statement  that  a  Toggenburger  in  England  yielded  a  frac- 
tion less  than  a  gallon  per  day.  Although  not  equal  to  4  liters, 
it  is  probably  more  than  the  average  daily  product  of  a  year. 

In  discussing  this  breed,  Hook  points  out  an  important  feature 
which,  in  the  opinion  of  this  writer,  is  applicable  to  all  breeds, 
namely,  that  the  high  position  occu])ied  by  the  Toggenburgers  as 
milk  producers  has  been  attained  by  the  careful  selection  of  indi- 
viduals for  breeding,  and  from  their  offspring,  preserving  those 
only  for  breeding  which  have  proved  themselves  to  be  good  milkers. 
This  method  of  practice  will  certainly  lead  to  definite  results  if 
intelligent  selection  is  made.  It  may  be  surmised,  therefore,  as 
has  been  stated  in  discussing  the  Saanen  breed,  that  there  are  in 
Switzerland  many  Toggenburgers  which  are  useless  as  milch  goats. 
So,  while  it  may  be  true  that  this  breed  has  been  so  handled  as  to 
possess  more  definite  or  fixed  characteristics  than  other  breeds, 
it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  any  Toggenburger  doe  will  prove 
herself  to  bo  a  good  milker. 

There  are  very  few  goats  of  this  breed  in  the  United  States; 
indeed,  there  is  but  one  record  of  importation.  On  July  12,  1893, 
W.  A.  Shafor,  of  Hamilton,  Ohio,  now  secretary  of  the  American 
Oxford  Down  Eecord  Association,  imported  through  the  port  of 
Xew  York  4  head  of  Toggenburgers.  These  were  located  on  a 
farm  in  Indiana.  From  correspondence  with  Mr.  Shafor,  it  is 
evident  that  there  has  been  some  difficulty  in  acclimating  them, 
for  as  late  as  in  1898  he  Avrote  that  the  purebred  stock  had  reached 
the  number  of  7  only.  Half-bloods  and  three-quarter-l)loods  had 
proved  themselves,  like  the  pure  breeds,  to  be  good  milkers.  This 
fact  tends  to  confirm  the  statement  of  Hook  that  "they  have  a 
remarkable  power  of  transmitting  their  characteristics  to  their 
offspring,  many  half-bred  animals  showing  all  the  distinguishing 
peculiarities  of  the  race." 

The  Saanen  goat. — The  Saanen  breed  of  goats,  according  to 
Dettweiler,  takes  its  name  from  the  Saanen  valley  in  Switzerland, 
but  it  is  quite  commonly  kept  also  in  the  upper  Simmen  valley 
of  the  same  country.  The  pure  Saanen  goat  is  rather  large,  of 
dainty  white  color,  and  is  hornless.  The  neck  is  proportionately 
long,  shapely,  and  not  very  heavy ;  breast  well  developed ;  udder 

'  A  liter  equals  1.05G7  quarts. 


MILCH  GOATS.  217 


very  pretty,  as  a  rule;  milk  production  is  plentiful  under 
food,  averaging  4  quarts  per  day.  Wilsdorf  says  the  milk  of  this 
breed  is,  like  that  of  most  breeds,  pure  white  (in  rare  cases  a 
yellowish  white),  and  somewhat  thick  in  consistency  as  compared 
with  the  milk  of  the  farm,  or  native,  goats  of  Saxony,  and  that  it 
is  characterized  by  a  positive  pleasant  taste. 

The  statement  of  the  milk  production  is  upon  the  authority 
of  Anderegg,  but  Dettweiler  says  that,  so  far  as  he  is  able  to  form 
an  opinion  from  his  own  observation,  the  quantity  is  too  large  for 
the  breed  taken  as  a  whole.  Anderegg  was  writing  of  the  Saanen 
goats  in  Switzerland,  and  Dettweiler  acknowledges  that  in  all 
goats  in  Switzerland  the  production  of  milk  is  noticeably  higher 
than  in  Saxony,  "where  no  one  bothers  himself  about  the  goat." 

Petersen  says  concerning  this  breed:  "The  quantity  of  milk 
given  when  the  animal  is  fresh  is  stated  at  3  to  4  liters,  increased 
in  isolated  cases  to  5  or  6  liters;  and  it  is  also  true  that  in  other 
cases  it  remains  under  3  liters.  The  average  daily  quantity  for 
a  lactation  period  of  9  to  10  months  is  estimated  as  a  rule  at  2 
liters  or  a  little  over;  so  that  the  annual  production  runs  about 
GOO  liters. 

Germany  imports  large  numbers  of  Saanen  goats,  not  alone  on 
account  of  their  milk  yield,  but  because  of  their  becoming  easily 
accustomed  to  the  climate  and  the  feed,  and  also  because  of  their 
clean  white  color.  The  result  of  this  large  demand  has  been 
known  to  raise  the  price  of  a  doe  to  100  marks  and  of  a  buck  to 
200  marks. 

Doctor  Kohlschmidt,  director  of  the  agricultural  school  at 
Freiburg,  Saxony,  conducted  experiments  in  1896  and  1897  with 
various  goats  to' test  their  capacity  for  milk  production,  and  one 
of  his  conclusions  was  that  the  Saanen  goats,  which  had  been 
imported  into  Saxony  in  189-4,  with  the  same  feed  and  methods  of 
keeping  that  the  German  goats  had,  could  be  classed  as  anything 
but  better  than  the  Saxony  goats,  as  regards  both  quality  and 
quantity  of  milk. 

Wilsdorf,  however,  after  stating  that  the  Saanen  goats,  after 
kidding,  give  from  4  to  6  liters  of  milk  daily,  and  that  "this  yield 
happens  not  occasionally  but  as  a  rule  in  the  Saanenthal,"'  probably 
o-ives  the  reason  why  these  goats  in  Kohlschmidt's  possession 
proved  to  be  so  inferior.  He  says  that  the  owners  of  the  Saanen 
soats  are  not  so  lacking  in  foresight  as  to  dispose  of  their  best 
milch  goats,  for  by  so  doing  they  would  soon  have  competitors  in 
a  lucrative  business.  Besides,  he  calls  attention  to  the  depend- 
ence of  the  Swiss  upon  their  goats,  and  for  this  reason  also  they 
will  not  sell  the  best  animals  out  of  their  stalls.     For  the  most 


218  MILCH  GOATS. 

part  those  which  are  exported  are  fit  only  for  slaughter.  An  idea 
of  the  enormous  exports  of  Saanen  goats  may  be  had  when  one 
learns  that  there  were  shipped  out  of  the  Saanenthal  and  tlic 
immediate  vicinity  in  1893  something  over  50,000  head.  "We  have 
seen  exports  of  goats  from  Switzerland  purchased  at  a  large  total 
cost  which  would  have  been  considered  almost  worthless  to  an 
intelligent  breeder."     (Wilsdorf.) 

But  let  us  return  to  Kohlschmidt's  experiments  giving  the  re- 
sults as  they  are  quoted  by  Petersen:  Ten  Saanen  goats  were 
employed — 7  of  them  from  3  to  3  1-3  years  old,  and  3  from  2  to 
2^  years  old.  The  average  quantity  of  milk  produced  during 
a  year  by  these  10  goats  was  678.41  liters  per  head.  The  largest 
annual  production  was  911  liters,  and  the  smallest  production  was 
421.94  liters.  The  following  statement  shows  the  annual  pro- 
duction per  head: 

2  gave  over  400  liters  (423  quarts). 

3  gave  over  500  liters  (.528  quarts). 

1  gave  over  600  liters  (634  (juarts). 

2  gave  over  800  liters  (845  quarts). 
2  gave  over  900  liters  (951  quarts). 

Animals  of  this  breed  which  were  14  months  old  gave  an  aver- 
age during  their  first  lactation  of  509.72  liters  per  head  per  year. 
The  maximum  was  GG5.69  liters  and  the  minimum  351.31  liters. 

The  duration  of  the  lactation  of  the  animals  3  1-3  years  old 
was  364  days  as  a  maximum,  193  days  as  a  minimum,  296  as  an 
average.  For  the  animals  14  months  old  the  maximum  during 
the  lactation  was  348  days,  minimum  265  days,  average  330  days. 

The  Nubian  goat. — The  Nubian  goat  is  larger  by  half  than 
the  common  species,  and  many  who  arc  unfamiliar  with  it  take  it 
at  first  glance  for  a  horse,  says  one  prominent  writer.  Below 
the  top  of  the  head  the  forehead  rises  so  as  to  form  a  conical 
prominence,  then  sinks  toward  the  nose  until  the  nostrils  are  in 
an  actual  depression.  The  lower  jaw  protrudes  beyond  the  upper 
and  the  teeth  oftentimes  extend  above  the  nostrils.  The  ears  are 
flat,  long,  large,  and  pendant.  Sometimes,  however,  an  individual 
is  found  with  ears  short,  straight,  and  pointed.  There  is  an  entire 
absence  of  beard.  The  females  have  no  horns ;  those  of  the  male 
are  flat  and  short  and  lie  upon  the  back  of  the  head ;  midway  the 
horns  are  curved  from  within  to  without. 

The  udder  is  deeply  indented,  so  as  to  form  two  very  distinct 
loljes;  the  teats  are  situated,  as  in  all  species,  upon  the  lower  part 
of  the  udder,  but  in  this  l)reed  u])on  the  outside  and  l)clow.  The 
eyes  are  very  large  and  lie  flat  in  the  head — do  not  protrude.  The 
hair  is  usually  cjuite  long,  deep  brown  or  black,  and  quite  fine. 

There  is  no  odor  connected  with  this  breed,  even  at  rutting 


W         1 

^IHH^H^IKl 

fji^^H 

^ 

^^H' 

•                -      '    v,  - 

SPANISH  MALTESE  BUCK. 
Bred  by  B.  H.  Van  Raub,  Van  Raub,  Tex. 


220  MILCH  GOATS. 

time,  which  occurs  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  It  is  an  exceedingly 
prolific  animal,  having  been  known  to  give  birth  to  as  many  as 
11  kids  during  one  year — i  on  each  of  two  occasions  and  3  at 
another.  Xo  member  of  the  goat  family  is  more  peaceful  or 
gentle. 

This  breed  is  very  sensitive  to  cold,  apparently  being  unable  to 
withistand  even  a  slight  degree.  This  necessitates  a  warm  barn  or 
goat  house.  They  should  never  be  sent  to  pasture  when  there  is 
frost.  We  are  informed  that  the  slightest  cold  produces  abortion. 
A  ration  of  dry,  nourishing  food — good  hay  will  answer  the  pur- 
pose— is  always  advisal)le. 

Crosses  of  Nubian  bucks  upon  other  breeds  of  milch  goats  have 
been  successful.  Du  Plessis  says:  "The  half-bloods  are  more 
vigorous,  better  built,  less  delicate  in  their  food  requirements, 
and  withstand  the  climate  of  France  without  the  slightest  in- 
jury." 

The  records  show  that  the  Nubian  is  the  most  productive  milch 
goat  known.  Du  Plessis  says:  "We  have  known  Nubian  goats 
of  good  constitutions,  when  intelligently  handled,  to  give  from 
5.28  to  6.3-i  quarts  per  day." 

There  are  reports  of  a  few  Nubian  goats  in  the  United  States, 
but  whether  they  are  the  real  Nubian  breed  is  not  known  to  the 
writer.  It  is  quite  evident  that  they  would  not  thrive  in  the 
colder  sections  of  our  country  in  their  pure  state ;  but  they  would 
undoubtedly  do  well  in  the  South  and  half-breeds  would  be  able 
to  withstand  a  colder  climate. 

The  Spanish-Maltese  goat. — This  breed  of  goats  is  found  in 
Texas  and  New  Mexico. 

It  is  known  that  Spain  imports  from  Malta  a  great  many 
Maltese  goats  and  it  is  said  that  during  the  last  hundred  years 
large  numbers  have  been  exported  from  Spain  to  Mexico,  where 
they  are  known  as  the  Spanish-Maltese.  While  this  is  the  claim 
made  for  them,  which  carries  the  inference  that  they  are  the  pure 
Malta  goats  under  another  name,  there  are  many  reasons  to  cause 
one  to  doubt  that  they  are  of  the  pure  ]\Ialtese  breed. 

The  following  description  of  Spanish-'NIaltese  breed  is  by 
B.  H.  Van  Raub,  of  Van  Raub,  Tex.,  wlio  has  been  a  breeder  of 
them  for  more  than  twenty  years:  "The  Spanish-Maltese  goat 
is  about  the  average  size  of  the  common  or  the  Angora  goat,  pos- 
sibly a  little  larger.  It  is  white  or  grayish  in  color,  but  many 
have  brown,  bluish  black,  or  reddish  spots.  INIany  have  coarse 
hair,  some  have  long,  fine,  silken  hair,  and  some  have  short  coarse 
hair.  As  a  rule,  they  have  pendulous  ears,  but  there  are  some 
superior  milkers  having  fox-like  ears.     There  are  more  hornless, 


SPANISH  MALTESE  DOE.     Bred  by  B.  H.  Van  Raub.  Van  Raub,  Tex. 


HORNLESS    SPANISH    MALTESE    DOE. 
Bred  by  B.  H.  Van  Raub.  Van  Raub,  Tex. 


222  MILCH  GOATS. 

or  iiiuley,  goats  among  the  8i)anish-Mallese  than  among  any  other 
breeds," 

The  description  shows  that  there  are  two  varieties  of  Spanish- 
Maltese  goats,  and  the  illustrations  show  them  to  be  so  different 
in  many  respects  as  to  lead  one  to  suspect  them  of  being  distinct 
breeds.  The  short-haired  one  has  several  markings  which  are 
characteristic  of  the  Toggenburger  and  has  very  few  markings  of 
the  pure  Maltese.  The  long-haired  one  varies  in  form  and  feature 
from  ilie  pure  Maltese. 

It  does  not  follow,  however,  that  the  Spanish-Maltese  goats 
arc  not  a  good  milch  breed,  even  though  they  may  not  belong  to 
the  ]\Ialtese  breed.  There  is  no  statement  at  hand  to  show  what 
is  the  average  daily  production  of  milk  or  how  long  is  the  period 
of  lactation,  ])ut  if  the  does  can  be  made  to  produce  as  much  as 
2  quarts  daily  under  ordinary  care,  it  should  be  considered  well 
adapted  to  the  goat  dairy.  Mr.  A^m  Kaub  reports  some  which  do 
much  better  than  this. 

The  literature  concerning  milch  goats  in  the  United  States 
is  but  little  and  that  unimportant.  So  far  as  the  writer  knows, 
there  has  been  but  one  importation  of  milch  goats,  and  that  about 
twelve  years  ago.  These  numbered  about  a  dozen  head  of  Toggen- 
burgers.  They  have  not  seemed  to  thrive  well  here,  but  what  it  is 
in  particular  that  prevents  their  thriving  is  not  known  to  the 
writer.  The  remnant  of  the  original  importations  is  somewhere  in 
Indiana  at  this  time.  It  is  probable  that  if  Ihoy  were  taken  into 
the  mountains  to  a  location  like  that  from  which  they  came,  they 
would  do  better  than  they  are  now  doing. 

Switzerland,  Italy,  Germany,  France,  Spain,  Egypt,  and  Malta, 
all  have  milch  goats  of  great  worth,  but,  unfortunately,  the  Uni- 
ted States  has  found  it  necessary  to  estaljlished  a  prohibitive 
quarantine  against  all  these  countries  because  of  the  presence  in 
them  of  contagious  diseases  of  domestic  animals.  Fairly  good 
animals  may  be  secured  in  England,  but  none  of  pure  blood. 
England  found  it  necessary  to  evolve  an  "English"  goat,  just  as 
Ave  may  find  it  necessary  here  to  produce  an  ^'American"  goat. 

There  is  no  registration  in  the  United  States  for  milch  goats  of 
any  breed.  England  has  a  registration,  and  as  any  importations 
we  may  make  for  some  years  are  likely  to  come  from  that  country, 
it  would  be  well  if  registration  papers  were  secured  of  all  goats 
and  held  until  such  time  as  an  association  might  be  formed  here. 
As  soon  as  we  in  this  country  produce  a  goat  that  will  yield  as 
much  as  2  quarts  of  milk  per  day,  with  a  period  of  lactation  of 


MILCH  GOATS.  223 

5  or  G  months,  it  will  then  be  time  to  think  serioiisl}-  of  a  regis- 
tration association.  Until  such  an  organization  is  formed,  let 
the  breeder  keep  a  record  of  his  goats'  performances  in  the  pro- 
duction of  milk;  stated  otherwise,  let  each  breeder  have  an  indi- 
vidual record  for  his  flock.  These  will  in  time  prove  of  great 
value  to  the  milch  goat  industry. 

The  skins  are  among  the  best  of  the  goat  kind,  and  they  add 
a  little  to  the  profits  of  the  industry.  There  should  be  no  difficulty 
in  disposing  of  them  wherever  hides  arc  handled.  There  are  many 
tanneries  in  our  country  that  use  them  and  they  import  millions 
of  dollars'  worth  annually.  There  would  be  no  profit  in  raising 
these  goats  for  their  skins  alone,  or  even  for  both  their  meat  and 
skins.  The  value  of  our  imports  of  goatskins  for  a  series  of  years 
is  given  in  the  chapter  on  "Minor  matters  of  importance." 

These  goats  will  destroy  brushwood  as  readily  and  completely 
as  the  Angoras,  but  in  doing  so  they  produce  a  poor  quality  of 
milk  and  not  much  of  it,  and  the  period  of  lactation  is  shorter 
than  if  stall  fed.  An  Angora  succeeds  in  excellent  manner  in 
converting  brushwood  into  mohair,  but  the  dairy  goat  can  not 
convert  the  same  sort  of  feed  into  good  milk. 


•""•"Sj,'.^ 


INDEX, 


Page 

JEsophagosioma  venulosum  affecting  goats 158 

Age,  how  to  detei-mine 139 

proper,  for  breeding 138 

Aiken,  M.,  remarks  on  odor  of  goat's  milk 194 

Alabama,  number  and  value  of  all  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Albrect,  Von  L.,  remarks  on  milking 254 

Albumin  in  goat's  whey 208 

Allen,  Richard,  remarks  on  Davis  importation 36 

Altenburger  cheese  from  goat's  milk 205 

American  milch  goat  suggested 198 

Anderegg,  Professor,  remarks  on  Toggenburger  goat 214 

Angora  and  Kurd  goats,  similarity  of  breeds 19 

goat,  absence  of  ill  odor 32 

description    30 

hornless,  remarks 32 

industry,  reasons  for  renewed  interest 28 

modern,    description 31 

native  habitat 13 

origin  and  history 11 

purebred,   description 30 

purebred  ruined  by  crossing 30 

quantity  of  milk  given 189 

question  of  hardiness 117 

goats,  distribution  previous  to  Rebellion. 27 

from  whom  to  buy 169 

how  to  handle 170 

in   United   States 19 

nonshedding,    remarks 32 

number  in  South  Africa,  1893-1898 52 

number  in  Turkey 52 

number  in  United  States 49 

pastured  with  other  stock 77 

Arizona,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Arkansas,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Ash  in  goat's  and  cow's  milk 102 

Bachman,  John,  description  of  purebred  Angora 31 

remarks  on  crossing  of  sheep  and  goats 171 

influence  of  climate  on  coats  of  ani- 
mals          17 

Bailey,  C.  P.,  concerning  Diehl  and  Brown  importation 39 


22G  INDK.X. 

Page 

Baiiey,  C.  P.,  development  of  industry  in  tlie  West 27 

&  Sons  Co.,  importers    44 

opinion  of  Angora  mutton 98 

remarlvs  on  deliorning 142 

remarl\s  on  fences 122 

Willard  C,  difficulties  encountered  in  Asia  Minor 44 

general  remarks  on  kidding 127 

importer   from   Asia  Minor 44 

Barnes.  Almont,  remarks  on  land  available  for  goat  raising lOG 

Barnette,  J.  R.,  remarks  on  kidding 133 

Beck.  Q.  M.,  remarks  on  dehorning 142 

Bezoar  goat,  ancestor  of  the  Angora 12 

Binns,  Henry  O.,  remarks  on  crossing  of  Angora  and  Kurd  goats.  .  18 

Black,  William  L.,  concerning  Chenery    importations 37 

Davis   importation 3G 

remarks  on  influence  of  climate  on  mohair....  105 

kidding    133 

Bluestone  for  roundworms 153 

Blue  vitriol,  remedy  for  foot  rot 1G2 

Bond,  George  W.,  remarks  on  value  of  fleece 24 

Brannin,  S.  S.,  remarks  on  grazing  of  goats 7G 

Breeding  and  kidding  of  milch  goats 200 

in-and-in    139 

proper    age 138 

Breeds  of  milch  goats 213 

Brewer  importation  of  Cashmere  goats 38 

Bridge,  separating,  description 127 

Brown,  Charles  S.,  importer 39 

Browsing,  adding  game  flavor 77 

and   pasturage,   chapter G2 

supplementing  feeding 7G 

Brushwood,  as  permanent  pasturage,  treatment 70 

destroying  by  sheep 174 

extermination,  availability  of  common  goats 77 

use  of  Angora  goats G2 

one  year  not  sufficient 72 

some  objectionable  features 72 

Buck,  remarks  on  management 140 

Butter  fat  in  goat's  and  cow's  milk 102 

from  goat's  milk,  analysis  and  characteristics 20G 

Calcium  in  ash  of  goat's  whey 208 

California,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Cape  Colony,  production  of  mohair,  1857-1900 58 

Capra  (vgayriis,  subdivision  of  the  goat  family 12 

description  by  Schreiner 13 

falconcri,  subdivision  of  the  goat  family 12 

description  by  Schreiner 12 

Carbohydrates  in  goat's  butter 206 

Casein  in  goat's  and  cow's  milk 102 

Cashmere  and  Angora  goats,  similarity  of  breeds 19 

goat,  description 34 

goats,  Brewer  importation 38 


INDEX.  227 

Page 

Castration  of  kids,  remarks 132 

Cawood,  R.,  breeder  of  Bailey  importation 44 

Cheese  from  goat's  milk,  remarks 205 

Chenery  importation,  remarks 37 

Chesnut,  V.  K.,  note  on  laurel 74 

Cheveretin,   French   goat  cheese 205 

Chisholm,  J.  R.,  remarks  on  milch  goats  in  Queensland 183 

Chlorine  in  ash  of  goat  whey 208 

Climate  for  Angora  goat  raising 104 

of  Asia  Minor,  description 14 

Clipping  machines,  remarks 144 

Coal  tar  creosote  for  roundworms 153 

Coburn,  F.  D.,  opinion  of  Angora  mutton 97 

Coligny,  William  G.  de,  remarks  on  Angoras  for  milk 102 

Colorado,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Connecticut,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Corning,  W.  O.,  remarks  on  Angora  goats  as  brushwood  destroyers.  66 

Country  Gentleman,  remarks  on  fleeces    24 

Stiles  importation 39 

Crosses  upon  common  does 135 

Cumberbatch,  H.  A.,  remarks  on  climate  of  Asia  Minor 14 

Dairies,  milch  goat,  remarks 204 

Davenport,  Colonel,  owner  of  some  of  the  Davis  goats 26 

Davis  importation,  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  goats 36 

James  B.,  appointed  cotton  expert  grower  for  Turkey 19 

note  on  durability  of  mohair 86 

Dehorning,    remarks 142 

Delagoa  Bay,  source  of  importation 43 

Delaware,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

Dettweiler,  Fr.,  remarks  on  cost  of  producing  goat's  milk 196 

flavor  of  goat's  milk 193 

goat's    milk 179,  180,  184 

quantity  of  milk  given  by  goats 189 

tuberculosis  in  goats 212 

value   of   goats   and   goat   products   in 

Germany    177 

Diehl  and  Brown  importation 39 

Diehl,  Israel  S.,  description  of  Cashmere  goat 34 

importer    39 

Dips  for  lice ; 162 

Diseases,  chapter    153 

of  milch  goats,  remarks 213 

District  of  Columbia,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900.  50 

Drenching  for  wireworms,  remarks  by  Ch.  Wardell  Stiles 155 

how  to  do  it 155 

Dressing  and  tanning  the  skins 165 

Du  Plessis,  remarks  on  Nubian  goat 220 

Emery,  George  G.,  note  on  domestic  and  foreign  mohair 81 

quality   of  mohair 82 

opinion  of  Turkish  and  American  mohair 18 

remarks  on  price  of  mohair 88 


228  INDEX. 

Page 

England,  use  of  goat's  milk 18G 

Eutichides  importation 39 

F'ainhild.  David  G.,  concerning  milch  goats  in  Malta 213 

Fat  in  goafs  whey    208 

butter    200 

Feed  and  care,  influence  on  mohair 8(! 

tor  Angora  goats,   remarks 124 

Feeding  of  milch  goats 220 

Feet  of  Angoras,  care I34 

Fencing  and  herding  Angoras 120 

housing  milch    goats 202 

Ferguson,  J.  A.,  opinion  of  Angora  mutton 97 

Fink  &  Co.,    importation 43 

Henry,   remarks  on  kidding 134 

Flavor  of  Angora  mutton,  remarks 100 

goat's   milk 192 

Fleece,  care  after  shearing 150 

Flesh,  what  to  call  it 171 

Flock  from   small   beginning,   remarks 135 

management,    chapter 1 35 

the   best 1 35 

Flocks,  remarks  on  size 141 

Florida,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Foot  rot,  remedy 1C2 

Fromage  de  St.  Marcellin.  French  goat  cheese 205 

Fuchs,  H.  T.,  opinion  of  Angora  mutton 9S 

remarks  on  Angoras  as  cocklebur  destroyers 69 

kidding    134 

shearing     143 

training  goats  to  fight  dogs 1G8 

trapping    wolves 163 

Fulton,  John  W.,  interest  in  exploiting  Angora  mutton 97 

Game  flavor  added  by  browsing 77 

Gasoline  for  roundworms 153 

Gatheral,  Gavin,  remarks  on  quality  of  mohair  in  Asia  Minor 15 

Georgia,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Germany,  number  of  goats  in  1873,  1883,  1885.  1892 177 

remarks  on  value  of  goats  and  goat  products  by  Dett- 

weiler    177 

Gloves,  imports,  189G-1901 174 

Goat.  Angora.     (See  Angora  goat.) 

Goat  house,  remarks 202 

paper,  its  province 1 73 

Rocky  Mountain,  remarks 174 

Goating,  one  year  not  suflScient  on  brushwood 72 

Goatskins,  imports,  1896-1901 174 

Goats,  brief  description  by  Hayes  and  Wood 12 

common,  as  brush  destroyers 77 

remarks    173 

all  breeds,  number  in  United  States 49 

and  sheep  affected  by  same  diseases 153 


INDEX.  229 

Page 

Goats,  milk  cheese,  remarks 205 

cost  of  production 196 

remarks  on  flavor     192 

odor     194 

quality    188 

number  of  species 11 

to  an  acre  of  brushwood 77 

Goodall,  George  B.,  first  to  weave  plush  in  the  United  States 95 

remarks  on  kemp   84 

the  care  of  fleeces 150 

Grass  considered  injurious  when  wet 125 

springing  up  after  goats 74 

Gratairon,  French  goat  cheese 205 

Grazing  of  goats 76 

Green  briers  injurious  to  goats 74 

Grout,  John  H.,  remarks  on  Maltese  milch  goats 21S 

Habitat  of  Angora  goats 13 

Haddrup,  B.  R.,  remarks  on  goat's  milk 185 

Hardiness  of  Angora  goats 117 

Hales,  C.  H.,  remarks  on  availability  of  Oregon  for  goat  raising.  . .  .   194 

Hampton,  Wade,  owner  of  some  of  the  Davis  goats 26 

Harris  and  Hall  importation 40 

John  S.,  development  of  industry  in  the  West 27 

difl5culties  in  importing  Angoras 40 

importer    40 

note  on  influence  of  feed  on  fleece 87 

remarks  on  climate  of  Idaho  for  Angoras 105 

grazing   of    goats 76 

in-and-in  breeding 139 

Hawaii,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

Hayes,  John  L.,  opinion  of  the  Angora 12 

Hays,  George  M.,  opinion  of  Angora  mutton 98 

Herding  and  fencing 120 

Hilpert,  Felix,  description  of  milch  goat 197 

remarks  on  flavor  of  goat's  milk 193 

goat's    milk 180,  184 

tuberculosis  in  goats 211 

Hoffman,  Doctor,  analysis  of  goat's  milk 190 

remarks  on  goat's  milk 170,  184 

tuberculosis  in  goats 212 

Hogg,  James  S.,  remarks  on  Angoras  as  brushwood  destroyers.  ...     66 

Holmes,  R.  C,  breeder  of  Landrum  importation 46 

Holter,  A.  M.,  opinion  of  Angora  mutton 97 

Hook,  Bryan,  remarks  on  feed  of  goats 125 

flavor  of  goat's  milk 192 

milch   goat  house 202 

Toggenburger  goat 214 

tuberculosis  in   goats 210 

Houck,  George  A.,  opinion  of  Angora  mutton 100 

Housing  and  fencing  of  milch  goats 202 

Hughes,  W.  G.,  concerning  Chenery  importation 37 

opinion   of  Angora  mutton 98 

remarks  on  kidding 132 


230  INDEX. 

Pape 

Hughes,  W.  G.,  separating   bridge , 127 

Ibexes,   brief  description 12 

Idaho,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Illinois,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Importations,  a  glance  into  the  future 46 

Importers  and   importations,   chapter 30 

In-and-iu   breeding 139 

Indiana,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Indian  Territory,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900.  .  .  50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899.  55 

Iowa,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Italy,  use  of  goat's  milk 186 

Jenks,  C.  W.,  concerning  Peters  importation 43 

Kalmia  Intifolia  (laurel),  poisonous  to  goats 74 

Kansas,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Kemble,  A.,  remarks  on  Angoras  as  brushwood  destroyers 06 

Kemp,  general    remarks 82 

why  objectionable 83 

Kentucky,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Kidding  and  breeding  of  milch  goats 200 

the  kids,  remarks 126 

corral  method,  by  W.  C.  Bailey 127 

notes   from   correspondents 132 

staking  method,  by  W.  C.  Bailey 131 

Kids  and  kidding,  remarks 126 

castration    132 

number  at  a   birth 141 

weaning   132 

Kimball,  H.  I.,  remarks  on   kidding 133 

use  of  clipping  machines 144 

Kloepfer,  G.,  remarks  on  feeding  milch   goats 201,  202 

flavor  of  goat's  milk 193 

Kohlschmidt,  Doctor,  remarks  on  Saanen  goat 217,  218 

Kurd  goat,  crossing  with  the  Angora 18,  30 

Land  available  for  goat  raising 106 

enrichment  by  goats 167 

Landrum,  William  M.,  concerning  Chenery    importation 37.  38 

Eutichides    importation 39 

Peters,  or  Jenks,  Importation..  43 

development  of  the  industry  in  the  West..  27 

importer  from   South   Africa 46 

of  first  goats  into  California 27 

remarks  on  kidding 132 

Laurel  (Kalmia  latifolia),  poisonous  to  goats 74 

Leather  from  Angora  skins 164 

Lewis,  Morris,  remarks  on  Angoras  as  brushwood  destroyers 68 

Lice,  how  to  kill  them 162 


INDEX.  231 

Page 

Louisiana,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Ludlow,  F.  W.,  inventor  of  combination  shearing  table  and  trough.   146 

Machines  for  shearing 144 

McMurtrie,  William,  remarks  on  mohair  measurements 79 

McPherran,  E.  W.,  availability  of  northern  Michigan  for  Angoras.  .   109 

Magnesium  in  ash  of  goat's  whey 208 

Maine,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Markets  for  goats  for  meat 100 

Marking  of  goats 125 

Maryland,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

Massachusetts  Mohair  Plush  Company,  note 95 

number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

Ploughman,  concerning  Chenery  importation 38 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899...     55 

May,  H.,  remarks  on  goat's  whey 208 

Meat,  what  to  call  it 171 

Micrococcus  capriniis,  organism  of  goat  disease 159 

Milch  goat  dairies,   remarks 204 

description    197 

situation   176 

goats,  breeding  and  kidding 200 

breeds    213 

chapter  176 

diseases  213 

fencing  and  housing 202 

general   remarks 213 

notes  on  their  skins 223 

number  in  Germany,  1873,  1883,  1885,  1892 177 

period  of  lactation 192 

possibilities  of  importations 222 

the  matter  of  registration 222 

Zeitung,  analysis  of  goat's  butter 206 

remarks  on  flavor  of  goat's  milk 193 

goat's  milk 185 

Michigan,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Milking,  remarks  on  operation 204 

Milk  of  Angoras,  remarks 101 

cow,  analyzed 102 

goat,  analyzed    102,  185,  189 

cost   of  production 196 

its  various  uses 179 

quality  192 

remarks  on  analysis 184 

sugar  in  goat's  and  cow's  milk 102 

Minnesota,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Mississippi,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Missouri,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 


233  INDEX. 

Pape 

Mohair  and  mohair  manufactures,   chapter 79 

articles  manufactured 91 

des(  ription  of  quality  in  Asia  Minor  by  Gavin  Gatheral.  ...  16 

influence  of  feed  and  care 8G 

manufactures,  general  remarks 91 

prices  at  Bradford,  1856-1894 90 

production,  chapter  49 

of  Cape  Colony,  1857-1900 57 

Turkey.  1875-1900 56 

United  States 54 

products,    durability 86 

remarks  on  foreign  competition 55 

luster  81 

price 87 

the  question  of  overproduction 58 

Mohler,  John  R.,  remarks  on  takosis 158 

Montana,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Morocco  leather,  imports,  1896-1901 174 

Mutton,  Angora,  discussion 96 

Nebraska,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Nevada,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

New  Hampshire,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900...  50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899.  55 

New  Jersey,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

New  Mexico,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899....  55 

New  York,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

North  Carolina,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900....  50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899.  55 

North  Dakota,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

Norway,  use  of  goafs  milk 186 

Nubian  goat,  general  remarks 218 

quantity  of  milk  given 189 

Odor  of  goat's  milk 194 

Ogden,  Philo,  grazing  of  goats 76 

Ohio,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Oklahoma,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Oregon,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Osborn.  A.  O.,  disposition  of  the  Davis  goats 26 

Parasites,  remarks  by  Ch.   Wardell   Stiles 153 

scab,  affecting  goats 157 

Paseng.  ancestor  of  Angora  goat 12 

Pasturage  and  browsing,  chapter 62 

permanent,  treatment  of  brushwood 70 

Pasturing  goats  with  other  live  stock 77 

Pegler.  S.  Holmes,  note  on  durability  of  mohair 86 


INDEX.  233 

Page 

Penny  Magazine,  notes  on  collecting  and  selling  pashm 34 

Pennsylvania,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899.  ...     55 

Pens  and  shelter 118 

Peters,  or  Jenks,  importation 43 

Richard,  concerning   Davis    importation 36 

crossing  sheep  and  goats 171 

founder  of  Angora  industry  in  the  United  States.     26 

management  of  buck 140 

purchase  of  Angoras  from  Doctor  Davis 25 

Petersen,  Peter,  milk  of  the  goat 180 

quantity  of  milk  of  goats 189 

remarks  on  Saanen  goats 217 

Pets,  use  of  Angoras 169 

Phosphoric  acid  in  ash  of  goat's  whey 208 

Place,  0.  G.,  milk  of  the  goat 186 

Plush  manufacture  in  United  States,  history 94 

Pneumonia,  verminous,  affecting  goats 158 

Potassium  in  ash  of  goat's  whey 208 

Power,  T.  C,  opinion  of  Angora  mutton 98 

Proteids  in  goat's  butter 206 

Registration  association 172 

Renesse,  A.  von,  analysis  of  goat's  milk 190 

remarks  on  goat's  milk 182,  184 

making  goat  cheese 206 

milking    204 

tuberculosis  in  goats 211 

Reusse,  C.  P.,  remarks  on  goat's  whey 188 

Rhode  Island,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899...     55 

Ricotto  cheese  from  goat's  milk 205 

Ridgels  ( rignals ) ,  remarks 141 

Robes  from  Angora  skins 164 

Roby,  Mrs.  Edward,  efforts  to  develop  American    milch  goat 200 

interest  in  milch  goats 177 

suggests  American  milch  goat 198 

Rocky  Mountain  goat,  remarks 174 

Roquefort  cheese  from  goat's  milk 205 

Roundworms  affecting  goats,  remarks  by  Ch.  Wardell  Stiles 153 

Rugs  from  Angora  skins 164 

Saanen  goat,  general  remarks 216 

Salting  of  goats,  remarks 125 

Salts  in  goat's  butter    206 

whey    208 

Sanford  Mills,  mohair  manufacturers 95 

Scab  parasites  affecting  goats 157 

Schreiner,  S.  C.  Cronwright,  crossing  of  sheep  and   goats 171 

description  of  Capra  falconeri  and  C. 

(vgagrus  12 

description  of  purebred  Angora 31 

influence  of  climate  on  coats  cf  ani- 
mals         17 

feed  on  fleece 87 


234  INDIOX. 

Page 

Schreiner,  S.  C.  Cronwright,  origin  of  the  Ajigora 12 

produtrtion  of  mohair  in  Cape  Colony.     28 

Schwartz,  Doctor,  remarks  on  milk  of  the  goat 180 

tuberculosis  in   goats 211 

Schweitzer  cheese  from  goat's  milk 205 

Sclerostoma  hypvstomum  affecting  goats 158 

Scott,  G.  M.,  remarks  on  kidding 133 

Sexes,  what  to  name  them 171 

Shafor,  W.  A.,  importer  of  Toggenburger  goats 21G 

Shaw,  Thomas,  availability  of  Minnesota  lands  for  Angoras 112 

Shearing  by  hand,  note 144 

care  of  fleece  after  operation 150 

description  of  operation 14G 

machines,   remarks 144 

once  or  twice  a  year 143 

washing  goats  before  operation 148 

Shedding,  remarks 152 

Sheep  and  goats,  affected  by  same  diseases 153 

crossing  with  Angoras,  discussion 170 

destroyers  of  brushwood 174 

goats  as  protection 167 

Shelter  and  pens 118 

Skins  and  their  uses 164 

importations    165,  174 

Sodium  in  ash  of  goat's  whey 208 

Soil  desirable  for  Angora  goat  raising 105 

South  Africa,  number  of  Angoras,  1893-1898 52 

South  Carolina,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900.  ...     50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production 55 

South  Dakota,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899.  . .     55 

Spanish-Maltese  goats,  general  remarks 220 

St.  Claude,  French  goat  cheese 205 

Standley,  J.  R.,  goats  as  brushwood  destroyers 63 

management  of  buck 140 

Stiles,  Ch.  Warden,  remarks  on  drenching  for  wireworms 155 

parasites    153 

roundworms  affecting  goats 153 

Stomach    worms 153 

Stiles  importation 39 

Stomach  worms,  preventive  measures 156 

(Strongylus   contortus),  discussion 153 

use  of  worm  powders 157 

Strongylits  filicoUis  affecting  goats 158 

Sugar  in  goat's  whey 208 

goat's  and  cow's  milk 102 

Sulphuric  acid  in  ash  of  goat's  whey 208 

Summer,  A.  G.,  owner  of  some  of  the  Davis  goats 26 

Takosis  in  goats,  remarks  by  John  R.  Mohler 158 

Tanning  and  dressing  goatskins 165 

Tapeworms  affecting  goats 158 

Tariff  on  goat  products 172 


INDEX.  235 

Page 

Tennessee,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Texas,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Thymol  for  roundworms 153 

Toggenburger  goat,  general  remarks 214 

Tom,  Oscar,  remarks  on  kidding    134 

shelter  required 120 

Tompkins,  Daniel  F.,  efforts  to  develop  American  milch  goat 200 

Toole,  J.  K.,  opinion  of  Angora  mutton 97 

Trichoccphalus  afflnis  affecting  goats 158 

Trimmings  from  Angora  skins 164 

Trowbridge,  George,  concerning  Brewer  importation 28 

Tuberculosis,  immunity  of  goats 210 

in  goats,  remarks 196 

note 158 

with  reference  to  Angora  goats 102 

Turkey,  mohair  production,  1875-1900 56 

number  of  Angora  goats  in  1894 52 

number  of  Angora  goats  in  1902,  estimate 52 

Turpentine  for  roundworms 153 

Vncinaria  cernua  affecting  goats 158 

Utah,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Van  Raub,  B.  H.,  breeder  of  Spanish-Maltese  goats 220 

Vermont,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Verminous  pneumonia  affecting  goats 158 

Virginia,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quanity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Water  content  of  goat's  and  cow's  milk 102 

in  goat's  butter   206 

whey    208 

Watering  goats,  remarks 125 

Washing  goats  before  shearing 148 

Washington,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Watts,  J.  Washington,  concerning  Stiles  importation 39 

Weaning  kids,   remarks 132 

Wellington,  Duke,  note  on  durability  of  mohair 86 

West  Virginia,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899.  . .  55 

Whey,  goat's  analysis 208 

composition  of  ash 208 

remarks   208 

use  as  medicine 188 

White,  Mrs.  Harriet  E.  Davis,  concerning  Davis  importation 36 

remarks  on  fleece  of  first  importa- 
tion      24 

sale  of  Davis  goats. ...  26 

Wildcat,  enemy  of  kids 163 

Williamson,  H.  M.,  discussion  of  overproduction  of  mohair 59 

Wireworms,  remarks  on  drenching 155 


236  INDEX. 

Paee 

Wisconsin,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Wolf,  enemy  of  goats 163 

Woods.  C.  D.,  remarks  on  Angoras  as  brushwood  destroyers 64 

Worm  powders,  remarks 157 

Wyoming,  number  and  value  of  goats,  all  breeds,  in  1900 50 

quantity  and  value  of  mohair  production  in  1899 55 

Zurn,  E.  S.,  analysis  of  ash  of  goat's  whey 208 

notes  on  goat's  whey 208 

quantity  of  milk  given  by  goats 189 


^^DOMESTIC  SHEEP" 

BY   HENRY    STEWART. 


A  Twentieth  Century  Book. 


UP  TO  DATE  IN  EVERY  PARTICULAR. 


A  profoundly  scientific  and  practical  treatise 
on  sheep,  embracing  the  history,  character, 
merits  and  demerits  of  all  known  breeds. 

It  treats  in  a  practical  and  exhaustive  man- 
ner— The  Science  of  Breeding: 

What  crosses  are  admissible  and  desirable; 
the  development  of  type;  the  formation  and 
management  of  flocks,  large  and  small.  Sheep 
diseases  and  how  to  treat  them.  Sheep  dip- 
ping and  dips  —  their  uses  and  abuses.  The 
successful  breeding  and  feeding  of  mutton 
sheep  and  lambs.  The  growth  of  special  sum- 
mer and  winter  crops  for  sheep  and  their  rela- 
tive value. 

The  nature,  fiber,  growth,  grades,  prepara- 
tion and  marketing  of  wool.  Sheep  barns, sheds, 
feeding  devices,  hurdles,  &c.,  illustrated. 

The  influence  of  climate,  soils  and  environ- 
ment on  the  development  of  sheep. 

Illustrations  of  the  different  breeds  in  rich 
half  tones  of  typical  sheep,  and  every  other 
subject  germane  to  the  sheep,  wool  and  mut- 
ton industry. 

This  book,  of  384  pages,  is  an  invaluable 
guide  to  the  new  beginner,  and  a  wise  counsel- 
lor to  the  older  sheepman.  It  is  the  crowning 
work  of  an  eminent,  life-long  and  enthusiastic 
student  of  sheep  life  in  all  sheep  countries. 


AMERICAN  SHEEP  BREEDER  CO., 

Sent  Postpaid  for  $1.50.  182  Ontario  St.,  CHICAGO. 


Sheep  News  of  the  World 


If  yoii  want  to  koep  posted  on  the  World's 
shoop  and  wool  news  read  the 


AMERICAN  SHEEP  BREEDER 


The  recognized  authority  on  every  subject 

pertaining  to  sheep  breeding  and 

wool  growing.  . . . 


Edited    by  HIGHEST  LIVING  AUTHORITIES 


Its  Veterinary  Department  Worth 
Ten  Times  the  Subscription  Price. 


QuKSTiox  AXD  Answer  Department  invaluable  to  new  beginners. 
Regular  contributions  from  foreign  wool  growing  countries.  If 
you  want  to  buy  sheep  of  any  breed,  advertisements  of  reliable 
breeders  will  always  be  found. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  "AMERICAN  SHEEP  BREEDER"  IS 

HEADQUARTERS  FOR  WESTERN  RANCHMEN 

WHO  PURCHASE  RAMS  IN  CAR  LOTS. 


Subscription  Price,  $1.00  per  Year. 

Advertising  Rates  on  Application. 


Published  by... 

AMERICAN  SHEEP  BREEDER  CO., 

182  Ontario  Street,        -  -  -        CHICAGO,  ILL. 


^S6 


ri:'i 


'!  Viilll' 


Hill  <i     !'l 


i!i!li;n;ll!ill!l;li 


:  l!i  I  iiliilH'' 


"'nil 
it 


